A Clarksville man, Michael Ligon, has been arrested on charges of sexual battery by an authority figure. The 36-year-old former teacher at Stem Preparatory Academy is accused of inappropriate conduct with a 13-year-old student during the last school year, WSMV reports.
The student alleged that Ligon fondled and kissed her at school. This prompted an investigation led by Detective Matthew Mrowiec of the Metro Nashville Police Department's Youth Services division. NewsChannel5 noted that after the initial accusation surfaced in April, Ligon was placed on paid administrative leave by Stem Preparatory Academy. Yet he found employment at Kipp Academy in July while on leave. Following his arrest, Kipp Academy terminated his employment.
Further investigation by MNPD revealed that multiple other students had allegedly experienced similar inappropriate interactions with Ligon. With Ligon now in custody, additional charges are anticipated as the probe deepens. He remains held on a $75,000 bond. According to his LinkedIn profile, which was mentioned by NewsChannel5, Ligon was associated with Metro Schools since 2020 and coached the boys' basketball team at Stem Prep.
Kipp Academy confirmed his termination, with the details of the arrest and allegations leading to a swift decision. "Kipp Academy has fired Ligon from his position, as of today," reported FOX 17. Members of the community with information regarding Ligon's behavior around minors are encouraged to contact the MNPD Youth Services Division.
