DAYTON — Christopher Lemaster, the Stebbins High School senior recently convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow student, will not be marching with his Stebbins High School graduating class, Mad River Local School District Superintendent Mike Eaglowski announced Friday.

"Taking part in graduation ceremonies is a privilege, not a right," Eaglowski said. "It's based on academic achievement and good, positive behavior."

Lemaster, 18, pleaded guilty April 3 to a fourth-degree felony charge of gross sexual imposition. The charge stemmed from a Nov. 2 incident when Lemaster engaged in sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old sophomore who had passed out at a party after consuming alcohol and Xanax.

The girl woke up with abdominal pain, and her pants were undone, according to police reports. She later learned male students were circulating photos of her undressed on their cell phones. She went to a school guidance counselor Nov. 5, saying she thought she had been raped.

DNA from a condom thrown out the window linked Lemaster to the girl, according to Riverside Detective Tom Donahue. Lemaster was arrested Feb. 22 and released in lieu of $25,000 bond Feb. 28. He was placed on home instruction March 3.

Allowing Lemaster to graduate with his classmates would send the wrong message to the Stebbins student body, Eaglowski said. "It would send a message that this kind of behavior is condoned, and it will not be," he said. "We need to send the message to all students that there are consequences for every action."

Eaglowski said that school district officials "had many discussions" of the issue and reached their decision after consulting with the district's attorney, Nicholas Subashi. "He concurred that graduation is a privilege to be earned and we were not obligated to allow Lemaster to march," Eaglowski said.

He added that the media attention surrounding the case would detract from the dignity of the ceremony, and that wouldn't be fair to the other graduates.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2209 or mmccarty@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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