XENIA — A Greene County Career Center teacher accused of abusive behavior toward a student will be allowed to teach remotely for the rest of the school year.

Maurice Harden, who is also the head football coach at Xenia High School, was named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit along with the GCCC board of education and Superintendent David Deskins. Harden — who teaches exercise science — allegedly pushed the student’s table into his stomach, pinned him in his chair, and then physically grabbed the student by the shoulders and pushed him out of his chair, onto the floor.

After a preliminary injunction hearing Feb. 7, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman ruled on Wednesday that Harden could return to teaching as long as he doesn’t teach the student. A temporary restraining order prohibiting Harden from returning to the classroom was set to expire Thursday.

“In the court’s opinion, this presents a viable solution that will save the parties the expense of ongoing litigation and will bring certainty to a still uncertain situation that, despite this preliminary injunction, will continue until the end of the current school year,” Newman wrote. “The Board may implement a plan to allow Harden to teach subject to the terms of the Last Chance Agreement, so long as Harden does not teach (the student) and does not come in contact with (the student) at GCCC.”

The plaintiffs, Beavercreek residents Joy and Jacob Brown and their son, had asked for a preliminary injunction “for the rest of the 2023-3024 school year preventing Defendant Harden from teaching either virtually or in person, any class at the Greene County Career Center or entering the Greene County Career Center.”

The career center board of education, through Superintendent David Deskins said it continues to make safety its strongest priority.

“In that context and consistent with the direction from the court, Mr. Harden will not return to GCCC for in-person instruction this school year, and instead he will provide fully remote teaching to junior students only,” a statement from the board and Deskins said. “The Court’s recommendations are aligned with an alternative presented by the school at the hearing to find solutions that would maintain learning and ensure a safe school environment for all students.”

The board also said details of how it will be implemented are being finalized.

The career center and Deskins were named in the lawsuit, accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other counts. The student has cerebral palsy.

When the allegations were made, the career center investigated and said the allegations in the lawsuit are “not consistent” with the findings of the GCCC’s investigation.

“We also immediately reported this matter to local law enforcement and children’s services,” the board and Deskins previously said. “No criminal charges or investigations were pursued by either agency.”

Reach Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.