ATHENS – As a wave of sexual scandals is spreading over Greece’s arts, sports and media communities, well-known Greek National Theater Drama School actor and director Stathis Livathinos after students said he was a bully.

“I apologize again if I have hurt some of you – any strictness from my part hid nothing more than care and concern that you are properly equipped to face a future in the theater,” Livathinos, who denied the allegations, said in a letter.

Speaking to Kathimerini before, he said that he has no “bitterness” toward complaining students about his teaching methods, but “refuses to enter into a dialogue” with them over why he quit.

In an announcement, the National Theater said that the complaints against Livathinos were aired during a teleconference of school faculty and students on Feb. 6.

But despite signs the brouhaha could be patched over after the meeting, students refused to go to his class, the school not requiring them to do so, essentially backing them over the director.

There was no indication what his methods were that caused students to rebel but his resignation came as the National Theater is already in disarray after its former artistic director, Dimitris Lignadis, has been detained in jail and faces charges of raping two minors.