MILWAUKEE — A Rufus King High School band teacher is facing three felony charges involving students as the parent of a former student says she had previously warned her son not to be alone with him.
Antonio Kitchens is charged with two counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff and one count of attempted sexual assault of a student by school staff.
Rufus King band teacher charged in alleged assaults of students
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Kitchens made his initial court appearance Monday. During the hearing, the court ordered him to have no contact with the three students identified in the complaint, Rufus King High School or unsupervised contact with anyone under 18. His cash bond was set at $25,000.
The criminal complaint details allegations involving three students at Rufus King. Investigators say the students described similar encounters while alone with Kitchens at school.
One student told investigators he “froze” during an alleged encounter and said the incidents eventually caused him to avoid Kitchens and band altogether.
Another student told investigators he initially thought what happened to him had been an accident. According to the complaint, he later asked a friend whether anything had ever happened with Kitchens. The friend responded, “You too?”
Raylena Windmon, whose son graduated from Rufus King last school year, told TMJ4 her son had taken extra trumpet lessons with Kitchens and that some of his interactions with the teacher made him uncomfortable.
Windmon said Kitchens once offered her son a ride home after trumpet practice. She said she eventually gave her son a warning.
“I actually warned my son about Mr. Kitchens and told him, ‘Do not be alone with him,’” Windmon said.
Windmon said her family did not report concerns about Kitchens to the school and said nothing had happened involving her son that she felt she could act on.
“We need to continue to make them aware, and we need to stay involved,” Windmon said. “So, as a parent, stay vigilant. Stay vigilant.”
In a message to Rufus King staff and families, the school called the reported behavior “absolutely unacceptable.” The message said officials contacted Milwaukee police school resource officers and Child Protective Services after receiving the report.
The district said Kitchens is not currently working at the school and that MPS is conducting its own investigation, including a Title IX investigation.
The criminal complaint also says investigators have leads involving two additional potential victims.
Kitchens' next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 26 for a preliminary hearing.
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