OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) - A complaint filed in Opelika’s Municipal Court is revealing new details about an Opelika High School teacher and coach who is now on administrative leave and facing a misdemeanor criminal charge for allegedly propositioning a ninth-grade student for a sex act.
We do want to warn you, the details are graphic.
According to the Complaint, Opelika Police believe the inappropriate interactions with this student began in January when the ninth-grade girl was interviewing 37-year-old Montre Battle for a school project. Battle had been with Opelika City Schools for nearly a decade, beginning as an instructional assistant in 2013. He was hired as an Opelika High School teacher in 2016.
According to the court document on February 9 investigators met with the high school's principal who shared on February 8 she was notified teacher Montre Battle had made several inappropriate comments to a ninth-grade female student. The comments allegedly occurred on January 17 as the student was interviewing Battle for a school project. The juvenile says while interviewing Mr. Battle he told her “You like to shake your (profanity redacted)” referencing her recent performance during a school talent show. Court documents indicate the juvenile was taken aback and asked Battle to repeat the statement, which he did. The student alleges Battle also referenced his time as a drum major during high school and made, a statement about letting his private part out so it could be seen by those he was directing. The juvenile stated she found this interaction alarming and notified friends and her mother. Court documents indicate on February 8 the juvenile responded to Mr. Battle’s classroom because she was missing an answer to one of her interview questions. The teen says jazz music was playing she began swaying back and forth. The juvenile alleges, Mr. Battle noticed and stated “stop playing with me.” The student says she was unaware of what Mr. Battle was referring to. The student then says Mr. Battle wrote on a pink post-it note “dance on my lap“ and showed it to the juvenile, then Battle tore the note up and threw it into the trashcan. The juvenile left the room and notified the teachers who took her to a counselor’s office. Battle’s classroom trashcans were pulled and administrators located a pink post-it note that was torn. Administrators were able to tape the note back together and determined it did read “dance on my lap.” Court documents indicate Opelika’s principal and Opelika school superintendent, interviewed Mr. battle who admitted to writing the note and provided a handwritten statement to the principal.
The district placed Battle on administrative leave from the school on February 8. On Thursday, February 16, Battle was arrested on a charge of a school employee soliciting a sex act with a student under the age of 19, which is a Class A misdemeanor. He was booked into the Lee County Detention Facility and has made bond. WRBL is working to determine if Battle has an attorney yet and will try and get a statement.
If you have any information on this incident, please contact the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. Tips can be submitted through Opelika Police Mobile App. You may remain anonymous.
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