Buhler Teacher Arrested On Sex Crimes

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Buhler Teacher Arrested On Sex Crimes

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Posted: 3:32 PM Feb 26, 2008
Last Updated: 11:02 PM Feb 26, 2008
Reporter: KAKE News
Email Address: news@kake.com

27 comments

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A Buhler High School teacher and coach has been arrested on sex charges.

The Reno County Sheriff says 68-year-old Richard Young was arrested this afternoon on three counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of Indecent solicitation of a child.

Authorites have been looking into alleged sex offenses with a foreign exchange student since August of 2007. Officers searched a high school office and Young's home late last year.

Young was a teacher and debate coach at Buhler High School. He has been on leave since late last year.

According to the Buhler HS website, young has been at the school for 5 years, with a total of 47 years in education.

The site also says he hosts foreign exchange students each year.

Young is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Kelly Nelson, Buhler USD 313 Public Information Officer, released the following statement Tuesday afternoon.

"Obviously we had hoped for a different outcome to this investigation, but we trust that the Reno County Sheriff’s Department has completed a thorough investigation. It saddens us for the alleged victim, our debate and forensics students and for Mr. Young. The administration and Board will determine an appropriate response to these allegations. Because this is a personnel matter, we can not comment further."

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: anonymous Location: Kansas on Mar 5, 2008 at 05:27 PM
I also have known Mr. Young for years, not on a personal level, but have known him in the education arena. I was shocked and found the allegations hard to beleive. He is known to be a great educator and coach. However, what will be worse than these allegations, is if the youth is telling the truth and we refuse to even have an in-depth investigation. What is that old saying, "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Has he been exhiting a preference for student company rather than adult company? There is no template for a crime of this sort. Anyone could be guilty. I hope the allegations are just that...allegations, but on the other hand, we must not assume we absolutely know.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: buhler on Mar 1, 2008 at 11:21 PM
in my opinion young will always have a job or at least i hope he will always have a job at buhler teaching the kids some amazing stuff

Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 1, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Now that all this has happened to Mr. Young (i.e. the accusations the media posting pictures and videos of him, his house, his name.) the only thing that matters is him doing 4 years of prison. He won't be able to go back to teach because some people will think he is still guilty, and the school doesn't want to look bad. When he goes to get a new job, they'll probably turn him down because he was accused of sexual exploitation with a child. The way the media has twisted this is sick.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: buhler on Feb 28, 2008 at 09:23 PM
in response to would i let my child b with him the answer is absolutly yes he taught my child many great things and i will forever be in debt to this wonderful man

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Buhler on Feb 28, 2008 at 09:17 PM
for everyone not supporting young unless you know him dont make judgements when he has led buhler to 3 back to back to back state championships and 2 back to back 4n6 state championships he was is and will forever be a great man and im am pround to call him my hero for his how he has reacted to this ridcule

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 09:55 PM
One of the most important things Mr. Young has taught me as a debate coach is the burden of proof. The constitution clearly says "Guilty until proven innocent." So why are people criticizing if you have never even met the man? Mr. Young has been one of the most influential people in my entire life. He has been teaching for 47 years. If these accusations were true, why haven't any of the other foreign exchange students staying with him turned him in? Because he did not commit these crimes. The Buhler Debate and Forensics squad will not go down without a fight.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 09:54 PM
Stay Strong Coach Young! You're respected by many many people.

Posted by: A Praying Citizen on Feb 27, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Mr. Young is innocent. Anyone who has spent any time with him knows that already. Please everyone pray for him. He deserves the best and deserves to have this over with. He's a GREAT man. He'll be in my prayers, will he be in yours?

Posted by: Billy Location: Buhler on Feb 27, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Hi kake, anonomous here. I've read through the comments on this story, and I really enjoyed the strong debate style of the last comment. However, I would like to say a few things of my own. One, you followed the BASKETBALL team to Cheney for them to say something about the DEBATE coach. One might think that since he was the debate coach, KAKE news could have interviewed someone who might have actually known Mr. Young. Not someone who had never talked to him or even been influenced by his presence. Also, taking that women's statement, last night, completely out of context to make it seem like everyone believed that he had actually committed these acts. Another low blow by Kake news. Finally, I'm not posting this comment to slam Kake 10, I'm writing this to slam what you have said and done, so do not take it personally.

Posted by: A praying citizen on Feb 27, 2008 at 07:17 PM
KAKE I'm making a plea to have you to tell the viewers of this station how much support Mr. Young has. Anyone that has actually spent a few minutes with the wonderful man knows just how GREAT he is. I'm also appalled by how the news cast seems to imply that he's already guilty. Please change the picture that you have of him. The one you chose is one that helps the unfair stigma that he's guilty. Show what he really looks like, a proud and extremely respected coach. If you're going to come into a small community to get a big story don't leave with only one side, this station has contributed to the tarnishing of his reputation. You owe him an apology. Even if you choose to wait till the court shows you that he's innocent, he deserves an apology. This is a great station, but you slipped up this time. He deserves the same respect that you would want if you were falsely accused of. Everyone please keep praying for Mr. Young spirits to be kept up and for a stoppage of all the slandering.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 05:53 PM
Because Mr. Young was, after all, a debate coach, i believe it necessary to comment in a noteworthy manner by looking at the arguments (if you could call them such) of those opposing. 1) "Buhler needs a better screening system" The most stringent screening system possible wouldn't have worked because no one has ever brought such a slanderous accusation against him before. 2) "He should rot in hell" This is one of my personal favorites. I don't even need to analyze the ignorance made blatant in this comment. . . . 3)"If this was your child. . . ." It seems that this person greatly could have benefited from Mr. Young as a teacher. Firstly, note the impressive grammatical accuracy (lack of commas, no subjunctive mood, "inocense"). Secondly, to the author: the number of exclamation points following a statement does not increase your credibility. Finally, this is at best a rudimentary appeal to emotion. Try using logic next time. I can see nothing other than a defendant ballot. Thank you.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Hutchinson on Feb 27, 2008 at 05:44 PM
I talked with a good friend of mine today who had Mr.Young as her debate teacher when he taught at Hutchinson High School. She said she was totally shocked to hear of these alligations. She said that Mr Young was one of the most influential people in her life and she can not even believe that he would do such a thing. Innocent until proven guilty!

Posted by: John on Feb 27, 2008 at 05:01 PM
Hey, you all pulled my comment. What are you afraid of? Must have hit too close to home. Shame on KAKE news again. Guess you cannot stand the same level of critcism you allow the misguided and misinformed to dish out to others. Not only do I not want my children to read some of the comments here, I also don't them to see how a "news" organization, who claims to represent the interests of the public, censors a public forum they set up just because the comments are not to their liking. If you don't like the heat, then disable ALL of the public comments, not just ones that critcize you! (Editors note: We can take criticism just fine. However, inappropriate comments are pulled.)

Posted by: George on Feb 27, 2008 at 04:02 PM
Having been in education all of my professional life, I can tell you that in over 75% of these cases, the alledged victim is actually trying to commit fraud and slander by falsely accusing the teacher in order to divert attention from their own issues. The sad fact is that the accusation alone is enough to permanently damage an innocent person's life and reputation, no matter how many retractions are issued later supposedly clearing the teacher -- the REAL victim -- of the charges. Each case must be decided on the facts to the standard of innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not the kangaroo court of public opinion. Cheers for those who support this standard. Assuming this man is innocent, I pray for a quick resolution and comfort in his time of trouble. If he is not, I pray the facts will prevail and the proper actions will be taken.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Richard Young is a respectable man and has dedicated his life to educating students. He is an nationally recognized coach in debate and forensics and does not deserve this scrutiny or to be "condemned to hell" based on ignorance or accusations. Our court systems were founded on the idea that you are innocent until proven guilty, so why are people so quick to jump to conclusions? While Mr. Young has been arrested, he has NOT been convicted. It is a shame that because of the ignorance of a community and the accusations of a foreign exchange student that his reputation has been tarnished. We should not be so quick to condemn him. He is well respected by his students and is not "dangerous." Hopefully the justice system pulls through because he deserves nothing less. He has not been convicted of taking "innocence from a child" yet, and it is this type of ignorance that fails our justice system.

Posted by: a concerned citizen on Feb 27, 2008 at 01:55 PM
many of these comments (as with most of the prosecution) have been made in ignorance. what ever happened to the burden of proof in this country? i believe that it's highly offensive that someone would condemn a man to hell merely because someone heard that a bipolar, manic depressed foreign exchange student made an accusation with absolutely no credibility or backing whatsoever. if that's all that it takes to slander a man's reputation in this country, if people jump to conclusions that quickly, we have truly lost our sense of justice and dignity. it's sickening how quickly people jump to conclusions.

Posted by: Will Location: Buhler District on Feb 27, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Mr. Young coached me in debate and forensics. He has hosted foreign exchange students for a long time. He is still hosting one for 8 years while the student is attending college. Never once did I ever feel like I would be violated or ever have to worry about that form of a situation while being around Young. He is innocent until proven guilty. The victim in question is most likely the foriegn exchange student that filed the charges. This student has failed multiple psychology tests. This may just be a ploy by the student

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 27, 2008 at 09:35 AM
supporters of the man guilty if this was your child you would not be supporting his inocense, he took inocense from a child!!!!!!!

Posted by: Cliff Secord Location: Buhler, KS on Feb 27, 2008 at 08:12 AM
This guy is in serious trouble. He might not be able to get another job after this.

Posted by: Linda Location: Topeka on Feb 26, 2008 at 11:30 PM
I know and have worked with Richard personally. There is no way this is true. He is a dedicated professional and has given his life to the students of the state of Kansas. He IS the top debate coach in our state and is one of the top coaches nationally. He has taken in foreign exchange students for over a decade, perhaps two decades. I knew many of the students he had taken in. He's been a highly respected administrator in Kansas schools as well. There is something wrong with this accusation. We should all be asking ourselves how someone who has given 47 years of their life to Kansas kids, with a spotless, stellar reputation can be thrown in a jail cell on the report of one foreign exchange student.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 26, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Portraying the Buhler School District and schools in general as poor choices to educate our children, because of the "lack of a better screening system" is ridiculous. All school districts undergo a strict process in regards to the employees they hire. Statements about rotting in hell does not benefit anyone. You're quick to judge. Do citizens not realize the concept of innocent until proven guilty??? Coach Young has benefited not only the debaters and forensicators, but the school, the community and the state in more ways than one. Portraying him as an evil person does not help school districts to "better educate" our students. Buhler School District has a strong academic record, as well as the numerous trophies and championships that Young has contributed to the school. After 40 years in education, he is more than qualified to educate students. I personally know he has impacted many lives and instilled valuable life lessons. I support the BHS debaters and forensicators whole heartedy

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 26, 2008 at 10:19 PM
why are people so sick these days??

Posted by: Christy Location: Buhler Ks on Feb 26, 2008 at 09:59 PM
INNOCENTUNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!

Posted by: Anonymous Location: The Buhler District on Feb 26, 2008 at 09:26 PM
For any parent that is concerned about this situation I ask that you wait and stop assuming that he's guilty. I understand that many people in our school district may not know him, but if you did then you would understand why is is considered a hero by all. Everyone is safe at Buhler High School with him there. When he is there he brings the attitude that should be in our schools. He cares for kids and he knows what is right and what is wrong. He is one of the highest regarded debate coaches in the country. He may be a lot of things like a true friend, a hard worker, an amazing coach, but he is NOT dangerous to anyone. He a real man and he is innocent! The community of Buhler is blessed to have such a great man to live here. He will be proven innocent and that's that.

Posted by: Evelyn Location: Hutchinson on Feb 26, 2008 at 09:22 PM
Innocent until proven guilty.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: The Buhler community on Feb 26, 2008 at 09:15 PM
Please don't slander this great man's name. It has been an honor knowing him. There is no doubt in this community that he is innocent. We know what will happen in the end. We look forward to the day in which everyone stops bugging him about all of this. He is innocent, but until legal documents confirm this fact please stop telling this story as if he was guilty. It's innocent before proven guilty. Please do it like the courts do, don't make the story seem like he's guilty. He is a hero to many and he has been a blessing to everyone who has gotten the chance to be coached by him. We support him, please do the same.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 26, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Why doesn't the school district get a better screening system to keep our children safe. Home schooling will be the only safe way to educate our children.May he rot in hell.