ANDERSON TOWNSHIP — An Ohio high school teacher resigned after an investigation revealed his sexually suggestive messages to a former student.
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A Turpin High School teacher was initially placed on administrative leave while the school board investigated accusations that he sent inappropriate communications to a former student, Forest Hills School District Superintendent Larry Hook said. The accusations first arose in April 2023.
Due to the nature of the allegations, the school district reported the teacher to local law enforcement and the Ohio Department of Education.
The ensuing investigation found several messages where the teacher sent sexually suggestive Snapchats to at least one former student. WCPO was able to obtain some of the messages allegedly sent by the teacher.
A man wrote to the teenage girl, “I got a month to flirt with ya... Hope you don’t mind but this old guy has some ‘ideas’ when we hang out,” according to copies Lindsey Ferreira, a Turpin High School parent, provided. The messages appeared to have been re-shared by more than one user before Ferreira was made aware.
More information surrounding the messages and the investigation were undisclosed because the incident remained a “personal matter,” however Hook “share[d] as many details as [he] could with [the] district community.”
Following the investigation, the teacher submitted his resignation, which the school board approved Wednesday evening. The news of the resignation was announced in an email sent Thursday to the district’s families and staff members.
Ferreira, however, criticized the district for the not firing the teacher as she spoke to the board.
“Turpin and the Forest Hills School District had a responsibility to their female students,” Ferreira said. “Just absolutely appalling.”
In a counter, Hook said, “We work tirelessly to foster a safe and secure learning environment for students, staff and our entire community. The district takes all allegations of this nature seriously and works to investigate the matters fully to ensure we respond with appropriate actions.”
It is currently unknown if the teacher would be charged for the incident.
The teacher’s name was purposely left out of the reporting because he was not yet arrested.
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