A nonprofit unrelated to Baylor University commissioned an investigation of a Baylor professor who served on the group’s advisory board after allegations of sexual harassment and insensitivity. That report by GRACE — Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment — was made public July 20.
The 30-page report focuses on David Pooler, a professor in the Diana Garland School of Social Work at Baylor and a nationally recognized researcher on abuse and abuse survivors.
The investigation was prompted by Pooler’s former affiliation with Restored Voices Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to providing a supportive community for women who are survivors of adult clergy sexual abuse. The report is formatted as a response to RVC, not to Baylor. The stated impetus for the investigation was a Sept. 6, 2025, anonymous post on the Restored Voices Collective Facebook community where someone wrote, “I experienced inappropriate conduct from him that left me feeling violated, humiliated, and showed a complete disregard for my welfare as a survivor of clergy abuse.”
David Pooler
Although his accusers are not named, two are cited primarily and one of those appears to be a former student in Baylor’s Ph.D. program. This accuser told GRACE she had filed a Title IX report on Pooler to Baylor’s administration. However, there is no evidence that report resulted in any action.
Pooler has firmly denied wrongdoing while apologizing for any insensitive comments he may have made. He submitted to a four-hour interview with GRACE as part of its investigation.
In sum, the GRACE report details this former student’s accusations of “insensitive” and “triggering” comments Pooler allegedly made in their conversations. Pooler explains in his response that his intent was to share his own story with the student as part of the educational process.
In his response, Pooler characterizes the former student as “vindictive” against him, which the GRACE report in turn classifies as symptomatic of DARVO — a pattern of Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender — which he also denies.
Others interviewed accuse Pooler of inappropriate hugging and of social drinking at conferences. In his interview with GRACE, Pooler denied any knowledge of inappropriate hugging.
Baylor administration — which had no part in requesting, reviewing or accepting the report — issued a brief statement: “Baylor University is aware of recent reports regarding Dr. David Pooler’s academic research. We take any allegations of this nature very seriously. We are in the process of looking into this matter in accordance with our institutional policies and procedures. Baylor is fully committed to supporting responsible research practices, in addition to adherence to internal and external policies. The university will continue to monitor the situation, and we will decline to comment further.”
For its part, GRACE declares, “The allegations of verbal or virtual sexual misconduct against David Pooler are credible. Collective witness accounts describe a pattern of behavior corroborated by contemporaneous disclosures and consistent themes of boundary-blurring and inappropriate sexual discourse across different settings. … Despite his position as a trusted mentor, allegations that Pooler engaged in explicit sexual language and indecent communications are credible.”
The GRACE report also says, “Allegations of professional boundary violations against Dr. David Pooler are credible. While not every reported concern or individual interaction necessarily presents a conclusive violation in isolation, a broader, concerning pattern of boundary-blurring behavior clearly emerges.”
Nowhere in the report is Pooler accused of inappropriate sexual relationships.
The GRACE report is unsigned, and names of its investigators are not listed. GRACE is led by Executive Director Laura Thien.
RVC states among its values that “anytime a person with spiritual authority (pastor, counselor, lay leader, lay elder, professor) engages in any kind of sexualized relationship or has sexual contact with a person under that authority, it is abuse.”
RVC’s website does not list the full names of its three directors or staff but gives only photographs with first names.