Vanderbilt Band Director Leaves amid Investigation

The director of the marching band at Vanderbilt  University has left his job in the wake of a newspaper's investigation into an  inappropriate relationship he had with a high school student while serving as a  band director in Kentucky over 10 years ago.

Vanderbilt spokeswoman Elizabeth Latt told The Tennessean late Thursday that 36-year-old Joseph Corey Francis  was no longer the director of university bands, a position that oversees  Vanderbilt's Spirit of Gold marching band.

Francis wouldn't tell the newspaper whether he was fired or resigned from his  position, but he confirmed he had participated in inappropriate conduct with a  student at Kentucky's Taylor County High School.

Francis said he kissed the student about 12 years ago and engaged in  inappropriate conduct _ a decision he called a mistake.  

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