MARIETTA - During the second day of a tribunal hearing on Friday, former Lassiter High School counselor and assistant girls basketball coach Frank Robinson briefly took the stand to defend himself against allegations that he inappropriately touched a 17-year-old student.

Again on Friday, Robinson denied the allegations against him. But this time he said it from the witness stand and in his own words, instead of those of his lawyer Warren Fortson of Atlanta.

"In my whole 16, 17 years of education I've never done anything but help a student," Robinson said in response to allegations that he inappropriately touched a 17-year-old female student and made sexually suggestive comments to both that student and another female student at Lassiter.

Robinson testified that the alleged victim came into his counseling office and requested a schedule change. During the visit the student sat next to him at his desk while he looked at her schedule, as all students do when meeting with the counselor, he said. Robinson testified that he and the student spoke about the schedule change that at no point during the visit did he make any inappropriate physical contact with the student, nor did he say or write anything inappropriate to her.

In response to the other female student accusing Robinson of making inappropriate comments to her, Robinson said that those allegations "hurt" him because he had known and worked with the student, now a senior, since she was a freshman.

Through tears, Robinson relayed his story to the board about what happened when he found out about the allegations and how he responded by trying to obtain legal counsel.

District investigator Mary Finlayson testified on Thursday that Robinson had been mandated to take a polygraph test by the district. Finlayson had testified the previous day that Robinson refused to take the test, but the defense denied that refusal, saying it tried to compromise with the district on an impartial polygraph operator, but never came to an agreement.

Robinson's testimony was cut short by school district attorney Nina Gupta when he told the tribunal that he had, in fact, taken a polygraph test. Both counselors took a brief meeting with the hearing officer, Hugh Dorsey, to discuss the polygraph test.

When they returned, Dorsey said there was a "rather major legal issue" between the two attorneys and that they could not conclude Robinson's testimony until it was resolved. Dorsey concluded testimony for the day and said that the tribunal will reconvene Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Prior to Robinson's testimony the defense had called several witnesses to counter the story of the 17-year-old alleged victim's testimony on Thursday. The tribunal also heard several witnesses who testified on Robinson's credibility and character.

However, the first witness of the day was Lassiter High School principal, Chris Shaw. The district called Shaw as its last witness to relate the story of how Robinson reacted when Shaw and Finlayson told him about the allegations.

Shaw said that it was a bit puzzling that Robinson did not adamantly deny the allegations and that his only response was that it wasn't in his character to do something like that. This evidence, Shaw said, led him to believe that Robinson was guilty of the allegations.

During its arguments the defense called a student who was friends with the victim and had been in Robinson's office the day of the alleged incident. This student testified that she had been in Robinson's office with the victim and left briefly, but when she returned she said neither the victim nor Robinson seemed visibly upset. She also testified that she was surprised the victim did not act more upset when she finally told her about the incident. This student's father also testified about strains on the victim's credibility.

Another Lassiter counselor testified she had also been in Robinson's office that day several times during Robinson's meeting with the victim and that the door had remained wide open throughout that meeting, contrary to the victim's testimony that the door was only open two inches.

Several parents and another Lassiter High School student testified on Robinson's impeccable character. The parents all said that Robinson had become more than a coach or counselor to their children, and that he was more like a mentor and even father-figure to his students. Regarding the allegations one parent said, "that's not him, I can't see those words coming out of his mouth."

Throughout the entire day the board room continued to fill with Lassiter High School students in support of Robinson. At one point the students were so chatty that Dorsey had to admonish the gallery and remind them to silently support their beloved counselor and coach. Several students wore T-shirts that had been made in support of Robison. On the front collar of the shirt was a bowtie, in reference to the coach's attire and on the back the words, "together we stand" were printed.