Inappropriate Conduct Between Teacher and Students Results in Termination

This case involves the firing of a 7th-grade teacher previously employed by a public school. The teacher allegedly maintained inappropriate relationships with several of his female students, all of whom were between 11 and 12 years of age. The plaintiff frequently sent unsolicited text messages and Facebook communications, along with questionable photographs of himself semi-nude to students. When the school district discovered this, they fired the plaintiff, citing inappropriate relations with students and misconduct.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. What is the appropriate response for a school district, once they're made aware of these actions by one of their teachers?

Expert Witness Response E-004468

In cases where the relationship with individual students is in question, the frequency, type, content, and privacy of the communications all factor into what response the school district should have. I have a background in educational (K-12 and community college) administration and human resources, and for the past sixteen years, I have had my own business as a management and organization development consultant and licensed private investigator. In the latter capacity, I have conducted about 300 workplace investigations, many of them in schools. These investigations have involved allegations of inappropriate conduct by teachers in their interactions with students. I have over thirty years of leadership experience and can certainly provide expertise on this matter. On the face of it, this certainly seems to be a justified termination of the teacher - tenure or no tenure - it is almost always inappropriate for a teacher to send text messages and Facebook messages, including photographs of his/herself in the nude to students - especially when dealing with minors of the opposite sex.