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Sequim principal formally charged with child rape

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SEQUIM, Wash. — A principal accused of molesting two of his students during class could face life in prison. Douglas Allison, 55, was charged with 12 counts of crimes against children Friday in Clallam County Court.
 
The private, Christian school in Sequim is a very tight-knit community. Only two people, Allison and his wife, taught at Mountain View  and only 20 students are enrolled there.  The school is closed for spring break, but school officials say only 11 kids will be returning next week because of this incident.
 
Friday, the Clallam County courtroom was packed and tensions were high as Allison was formally charged with child rape and molestation.
 
Court documents say Allison admitted to repeatedly touching two female students, ages 10 and 11, during class at his desk while other students were studying; More than once, Allison says he abused the 11-year-old while she sat under his desk.
 
"Our hearts are breaking, because we love our children. We love our families," explained Collette Pekar, associate pastor at the Sequim Seventh Day Adventist Church, which runs the school.  "This was something that was completely out of the blue for us."
 
Pekar does admit at least one parent complained about Allison's interactions with students.
 
"Our school board chairman had talked to him, and he had been spoken with by our church authorities at the conference level about overfamiliarity, mostly hugging at that point was what the complaints were," Pekar said.
 
That frightens Greg Reseck, who teaches at another nearby Seventh Day Adventist school, and attended Friday's court appearance.
 
 "They work with us and caution us to be very careful of our touching with children, but children come from broken homes. There are kids that need a hug, but you have to be so careful with how you go about that and make sure it's done in the presence of others," Reseck said outside the courtroom.
 
Reseck says he came Friday to support the church but also the suspect.
 
 "As a Christian, God loves the sinner but hates the sin, so even if he is convicted, I will still consider him my friend," Reseck said.
 
  The judge Friday said there's a special allegation attached to these charges, because Allison abused a position of power.  Allison was appointed a public defender and will be in jail until his next court hearing in May.

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