Side hug leads to sexual assault by Clovis East High School teacher, student testifies

A well-known teacher at Clovis East High School will face a jury trial on charges he inappropriately touched a student while in his classroom, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Judge Michael Idiart found there was enough evidence presented during the preliminary hearing to proceed with the case against Kenneth Kong Lee, a Hmong language teacher.

Lee, who is currently on leave from his job, is facing one felony count of lewd act upon a child, age 14 or 15, and a misdemeanor count of annoying, molesting any child under 18 years old.

If convicted, Lee would have to register as a sex offender and would be barred from teaching, an occupation he’s had for more than 20 years, said one of his attorneys Kathy Bird.

Bird along with co-counsel Margarita Martinez-Baly were joined in the courtroom by nearly 40 supporters, including several students.

The alleged victim, who is now 20 years old, accused Lee of touching her inappropriately on her butt and her breasts. The former student was in Lee’s Hmong language class as a freshman in the fall of 2018.

She testified that Lee groped her at least 10 times during her freshman and sophomore years, and all while in his classroom and with students present.

“He would do this side hug and then he would put his hands on my back and slide it to the middle of my butt,” she testified.

Kristin S. Maxwell, senior deputy district attorney, asked the former student how the inappropriate touching made her feel.

“It made me feel uncomfortable,” she said. “A teacher should not be doing that to a student.”

The former student also alleges Lee touched her breasts. She said she was at his desk when he surprised her with a hug. As they stood face to face, he used both hands to touch her shoulders. His right arm then slid onto her chest and he pinched her breast, she testified.

Maxwell asked her why she hugged him back.

“I didn’t want to be disrespectful in any way,” she said.

Under cross examination by Martinez-Baly, the former student admitted that no one in the classroom saw Lee touch her inappropriately. She also misspoke when talking with a Clovis police officer about the alleged assault. At first she said she was wearing two jackets over a long-sleeved shirt when Lee allegedly pinched her breast, but later said she remembers taking off one of the jackets.

Bird also questioned the police officer about whether she interviewed any of the students in the class where the alleged assault took place or anyone else who might have seen something. The officer said she did not interview any of the students in Lee’s class, who might have corroborated the former student’s story.

Lee’s next court appearance is May 11 for a held to answer arraignment in Dept. 31.