Former student alleges abuse by longtime Jackson County band instructor
Allegations about a staff member prompted Jackson County Public Schools to suspend a staff member, pending a full investigation.
Jackson County Public Schools photo
A former Smoky Mountain High School student has come forward with allegations of inappropriate behavior by her longtime band teacher, saying he groomed her as a teenager and left her struggling in silence for years.
Grace Pressley, who graduated in 2018 and is now an adult, told The Smoky Mountain News Aug. 22 that she reported Andrew Lewis “Drew” Umphlett to the Jackson County Public Schools Board about a month ago, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office a few weeks ago, after learning that he had returned to teaching following a brief career change.
“I was in the band program during that time, and Drew Umphlett was my band teacher from sixth grade all the way until when I graduated high school,” Pressley said. “He was very inappropriate. He was in love with me. He told me this. He locked me in his vehicle to tell me that he had been in love with me for quite some time.”
At the time, she was just 15 or 16 years old.
According to Pressley’s allegations, Umphlett would occasionally kiss her on the head, would change clothes in his office where students could see him and would leave notes in her locker saying he loved her.
“When he told me that he had been in love with me — this was the in-person, in-the-vehicle thing — to me it seemed like he was asking for permission,” Pressley said. “He did want to be in a relationship with me.”
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Pressley said she told Umphlett that his feelings were not reciprocated and that she did not report the behavior while she was in school, fearing the personal and academic consequences.
“Being in band was really important to me, and so I never told anybody,” she said.
When Pressley eventually moved away, she revealed the allegations to her parents, who had been friends with Umphlett and eventually confronted him directly.
“I texted Drew and I said, ‘What you did to me was not okay. I still remember, and if you see me in public, don’t contact me,’” Pressley told SMN.
Umphlett later left the school system to work in construction, and Pressley said she thought the matter was behind her because Umphlett wouldn’t be around children anymore. That changed this year, when Pressley learned Umphlett had returned to Smoky Mountain High School as a band director.
“I just had a sinking feeling in my stomach that this is going to happen again,” she said.
She also told SMN that she’s aware of another potential victim who remains reluctant to step forward.
“I know that it was not just an isolated incident, and this victim is from years before I was at school, so this has been happening,” Pressley said. “It spans a decade at least.”
Pressley also worked with AWAKE, a Jackson County child advocacy organization, which referred her to law enforcement.
Tony Cope, captain of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, confirmed to SMN that Umphlett is indeed under investigation but could not say for what.
After reports that a JCPS staff member was recently escorted from school property, JCPS Public Information Officer Shaneka Allen issued the following statement to The Smoky Mountain News:
“On Thursday, Aug. 21, a staff member at Smoky Mountain High School was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. While we understand there may be questions, this is a personnel matter, and in accordance with law, we are unable to share additional details at this time. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. The district is following all established policies and procedures, including cooperating with law enforcement, and we will provide updates if and when we are able.”
Personnel records are largely protected by state statute, so no further information is available from JCPS on the nature of the investigation or the identity of the person being investigated.
Pressley believes Umphlett’s behavior was textbook grooming and that he was actively grooming others.
She also noted that some classmates witnessed inappropriate behavior, including his changing clothes in the band office, and at least one of those classmates has spoken with detectives.
“It was like no shirt but underwear … stripped down to everything but his underwear and put on his after-school band practice clothes,” Pressley recalled. “There were a few girls who saw that and have reported that as well.”
She believes that Umphlett has been investigated in the past.
“If it is true that there was an investigation against him before and nothing happened, I would be pretty upset,” she said.
Pressley says she hopes her decision to speak out will encourage others to do so.
“I do feel like people should know he has a ton of people — I mean, kids — that were in the band program for years that just think he’s a wonderful person,” she said. “I just think that that people should know what kind of person he is.”
Umphlett’s contact information was not immediately available.
