Shelby County, just south of Birmingham, long has been known as the most conservative county in Alabama. Pretty much all public officials there are white and Republican; Democrats generally don't bother to run for office.
The county touts itself as a "great place to raise a family," a place where "family values" and GOP politics are exalted.
So it was interesting to learn last week that Shelby County has produced perhaps the worst case of child sexual abuse in modern Alabama history. It was even more interesting to learn that the alleged perpetrator has strong ties to the county's GOP power structure--and that apparently helped him get away with unspeakable acts for roughly two decades.
The story still is unfolding, but for now, we know that a retired Alabaster school teacher is in the Shelby County Jail on four counts of sexual abuse--and he has confessed to molesting at least 21 girls over roughly a 20-year period:
Daniel M. Acker Jr., a retired elementary-school teacher in Alabaster, has been charged with four counts of sexual abuse and is being held in the Shelby County Jail. According to press reports, Acker has confessed to molesting more than 20 girls during his 25-year career.
Here's how the story ties in to the GOP power structure in Alabama:
Acker Jr.'s father, Daniel M. Acker Sr., is a long-time member of the Shelby County Commission. . . .
In announcing last week's arrest, Alabaster Deputy Police Chief Curtis Rigney said an investigation had been conducted in 1992 on molestation allegations against Acker. That resulted in no criminal charges. Reports the Shelby County Reporter:
Rigney said a “similar investigation” was conducted by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in 1992, but no indictments were issued as a result.
In October 1992, Acker was placed on leave by the Shelby County School System and relieved of his teaching duties while allegations of child abuse were under investigation. In November 1992, the accusations against Acker were presented to a Shelby County grand jury, which did not indict him.
On Feb. 8, 1993 the Shelby County Board of Education held a termination hearing against Acker. After a lengthy hearing to consider the evidence in the case against Acker, the board voted unanimously not to terminate him. Acker was then reinstated as a fourth-grade teacher.
Was Daniel M. Acker Jr. reinstated as a fourth-grade teacher largely because his father is a county commissioner and a prominent Republican? It sure looks that way to me. And numerous girls in Shelby County paid a horribly high price for that decision.