New Hanover County Schools Settles Final Sex Abuse Lawsuits Tied to Former Teacher Peter Michael Frank
The New Hanover County Board of Education has settled two remaining lawsuits brought by three survivors of sexual abuse by former Roland Grise Middle School band teacher Peter Michael Frank, closing the final chapter in a series of civil cases stemming from decades of abuse by Frank and former science teacher Michael Earl Kelly.
Board Chairman Pete Wildeboer announced the settlement at the close of the board’s meeting on May 5, 2026, confirming that formal settlement agreements had been signed, dismissals filed, and payment tendered by the district’s insurance carrier. No New Hanover County Schools funds were used in the settlement.
The Rhine Law Firm, P.C. and the Lea/Schultz Law Firm, P.C., who represented the victims, confirmed the cases settled for $445,000. The three survivors — identified as Jane Does 1 through 3 — were former students who filed lawsuits in 2020 and 2021, alleging they were sexually assaulted and exploited by Frank during his time as a teacher at Roland Grise Middle School.
Frank’s Criminal Conviction and Sentence
Frank was arrested in January 2020 on multiple felony charges, including indecent liberties with a child and indecent liberties with a student by a teacher. An investigation revealed the alleged crimes stretched from 2003 to 2019 and involved six female victims, some of whom were still students at the time of his arrest.
In 2022, Frank was tried and convicted of 17 charges, including first-degree sexual offenses, statutory sex offenses, and indecent liberties with students. He subsequently pleaded guilty to 12 additional charges. Frank was sentenced to at least 50 years in prison.
Evidence gathered during the criminal proceedings and related investigations revealed that school personnel had been aware of Frank’s troubling behavior for years. His personnel records indicated he had been counseled on multiple occasions for inappropriate relationships with students over his tenure at Roland Grise Middle School — a pattern that dated back as far as 1999.
A Pattern of Institutional Failure
The Frank case is directly connected to the broader crisis of institutional sexual abuse that emerged in New Hanover County Schools. Frank’s arrest came on the heels of the 2018 arrest and 2019 conviction of Michael Earl Kelly, a science teacher who worked at both Laney High School and Isaac Bear Early College High School for 26 years. Kelly entered guilty pleas to 59 charges, including sexual exploitation of a minor, indecent liberties with a student, and indecent liberties with a child. He was sentenced to 17.6 to 31.25 years in prison. Evidence gathered during litigation revealed that more than 30 children were abused by Kelly during his tenure.
Attorney Joel Rhine, who represented survivors in both the Frank and Kelly cases, confirmed that this settlement marks the end of all civil litigation involving victims of both teachers.
In total, the district’s insurance carriers have paid out approximately $6.835 million in settlements across all cases related to Frank and Kelly, including:
- A $5.75 million settlement in 2023 for 14 survivors of Kelly’s abuse
- A $640,000 settlement approved in February 2026 for three additional Kelly survivors
- The $445,000 settlement announced this week for three Frank survivors
There is also a separate personal judgment against Kelly for over $140 million.
Insurance Covers All Settlement Costs
As with the prior Kelly settlement, the Frank settlement was paid entirely by the district’s insurance carriers. Wildeboer confirmed at the board meeting that no school district funds were used. Board member Pat Bradford noted that when she was elected to the board in 2022, the sexual abuse cases had been stalled for years, with the insurance carrier initially denying coverage. The board hired an outside attorney to compel the insurance carrier to accept responsibility, which ultimately led to the resolution of all outstanding claims.
Closing a Shameful Chapter
The Rhine Law Firm, P.C. and the Lea/Schultz Law Firm, P.C. issued a joint statement following the announcement, expressing hope that the settlement marks the end of a shameful period in New Hanover County Schools history stretching back decades.
The firms stated they remain proud of their clients who survived abuse by trusted educators and had the courage to revisit that trauma in order to hold both the teachers and the school system accountable. They called on the school system to ensure that the policies now in place — including strengthened reporting protocols, expanded mandatory training, enhanced background checks, and confidential reporting channels — are followed so that this kind of grooming and abuse is never tolerated again.
Rhine has consistently emphasized that these cases were preventable. Had existing policies been followed and reports from witnesses, parents, and students been acted upon, both Frank and Kelly could have been stopped far earlier. Instead, both teachers were allowed to remain in the classroom for decades while warning signs went unaddressed.
If you or someone you love has been a victim or survivor of sexual violence, of any type, we encourage you to contact the attorneys of the Rhine Law Firm, P.C. to explore your options in civil court against not only the predators who committed the abuse but the institutions who may have enabled them.
About Us
Rhine Law Firm, P.C. serves clients throughout North Carolina and nationwide, specializing in complex civil litigation led by Joel Rhine. With expertise in personal injury, car accidents, property damage, sex abuse, and more, the firm is passionate about taking on challenging cases. They emphasize providing personalized legal representation, prioritizing their clients’ best interests while offering state-of-the-art legal strategies. Rhine Law Firm’s dedicated attorneys enjoy the fight for justice and are committed to guiding clients through complicated legal processes. The firm offers free consultations, flexible appointment scheduling, and Spanish language services.
