A prestigious flute professor and flutist from Ohio has been accused of inappropriately touching his female students, sending them explicit text messages and photos of his genitals and secretly recording himself having sex with them in his classroom.
Bradley Garner was at the center of an investigation by the University of Cincinnati in October 2016 after two students reported that they had been sexually harassed by the 61-year-old professor.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the school’s investigation revealed that Garner made ‘unwanted sexual advances and verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature’ with the students and created a ‘hostile environment’ in the classroom by engaging in ‘severe, persistent or pervasive’ conduct.
Bradley Garner, who taught a flute class at the University of Cincinnati, is accused of sexually harassing several female students
The 61-year-old flutist is said to have kissed and inappropriately touched students. An investigation by the school alleges that Garner also sent sexually explicit messages to students including photos of his genitals
The allegations against Garner date back to the 1990s, the University of Cincinnati said
Garner retired from the school in December before he could be fired
The allegations date back to the 1990s.
The school said that nine students accused Garner of kissing them, touching them inappropriately and sending them explicit text messages. A former professor who was interviewed by investigators alleged that Garner had sex with two students on school property.
One student told school investigators that Garner allegedly smacked her on the butt during class as she bent down to pick up her flute. When she stood up, he asked her to bend down again.
One student alleged that Garner slapped her on the butt during class as she bent down to pick up her flute
Another victim said Garner would text students sexually explicit messages and would send pictures of his genitals. When a student would have a negative reaction to receiving the message, Garner would apologize claiming the X-rated photo was an accident and meant for his wife.
Garner, who retired from the University of Cincinnati in December before he could be fired, denied the allegations in a sworn affidavit sent to the school.
‘The report shook me to my core,’ Garner wrote , according to the Enquirer. ‘I have never struck any student on the buttocks … I have never kissed (name retracted) inappropriately … I have never discussed my sexual life with (name retracted) nor have I made any sexual comments to her.’
The school’s investigation also found that Garner allegedly set up hidden cameras in his classroom and would secretly film himself having sex with students. Former professor Randy Bowman told investigators Garner showed him videos of himself engaging in sexual activity with two students.
Garner also allegedly hid cameras in his classroom and secretly filmed himself having sex with students. A former University of Cincinnati professor told investigators that Garner had a sexual relationship with at least six girls at the school
Garner has denied the allegations writing in a sworn affidavit that the school’s investigation into false reports turned into a ‘rumor-seeking witch hunt’
Garner also taught at Julliard’s Pre-College. A spokesman said he was employed at the school up until June
Bowman also said that Garner was having sex with at least six girls at the school. He told the Enquirer he never reported the relationships because he thought they were consensual.
‘I was in a quandary as to what I should do,’ Bowman said. ‘I’m relieved in a way that it’s all come out.’
In response, Garner told the school that its investigation into the allegations turned into a ‘witch hunt’.
‘What should have been a simple investigation into false statements by two students instead turned into a wide-ranging, rumor-seeking, undisciplined witch hunt,’ he wrote in the affidavit.
The University of Cincinnati did not release the identities of the students who reported Garner but said the former professor seemed to target Asian women and younger girls, some who were under 18. Investigators also said students did not report Garner because they were afraid.
One student, who graduated from the school’s music program in 2016, told the Enquirer that Garner ‘could trash your career’ if you got on his bad side.
‘He makes the girls in the studio feel extremely uncomfortable and sexualized,’ she said.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, said whenever she would have a one-on-one lesson with Garner he would try to kiss her.
Besides working at the University of Cincinnati, Garner worked with students, some minors, at Julliard Pre-College in New York and the Wildacres Flute Retreat in North Carolina.
A spokesman for Julliard said Garner was employed at the school up until June.