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School employee under investigation after reports of inappropriate relationship with student

Written by: September 19 2024
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PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

SEBASTIAN — A Sebastian River High School employee was placed on administrative leave following an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a student, school district officials said. A second non-classroom employee – who worked at Sebastian River Middle School – was also put on administrative leave during the probe, according to officials.

Preliminary findings from a district investigation led Schools Superintendent Dr. David Moore to direct human resources to fire the Sebastian River High School worker. Parents at the school were notified of the situation through school messenger calls to families and staff on Wednesday.

“Based on initial findings, the superintendent directed HR to initiate the termination process,” school officials said. “Amid the investigation, additional allegations were received regarding a non-contracted employee which resulted in the immediate released of their responsibilities.”

In a follow up call sent out on Thursday to families and staff at Sebastian River Middle School, officials said the worker, also accused of an inappropriate relationship with a student, was a non-classroom employee. School officials said the student who made the report does not attend Sebastian River Middle School.

Authorities did not release details on the student’s age or gender.

“The non-classroom employee was immediately placed on administrative leave when the report was received and will not return to our school district,” Sebastian River Middle School officials said in the call. 

The Department of Children and Families started the investigation, which was turned over to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies began investigating reports of a sexual battery that occurred on Aug. 23, according to a sheriff’s incident report.

The report was heavily redacted. Details on where the sexual battery occurred were not immediately available.

“I can only confirm that an investigation is currently going on,” sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Jaworski said. “We are not releasing any information regarding the investigation yet.”

Sebastian River High School is located at 9001 90th Avenue (Shark Boulevard). The campus has about 1,787 students enrolled, according to school district officials.

Further details on the employees were not immediately available. The incident remains under investigation.

“The school district has a zero-tolerance policy for employee misconduct of any kind, especially involving our students,” school officials said.

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