A Deerlake Middle School teacher has been placed on administrative leave over an allegation of improper conduct involving a student.
Chris Petley, a spokesman for the school district, confirmed the school district’s move in a Nov. 18 email.
“The allegation has also been referred to local law enforcement,” he said. “In accordance with School Board policy, additional information will be shared at the conclusion of the investigation.”
Petley told the Tallahassee Democrat that the allegation was sexual in nature and that the teacher, who was not named, was placed on leave last week. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation.
The school district’s statement came two days after social media posts began appearing on Facebook and Reddit about the investigation. The posts have since been taken down.
Deerlake Principal Stephen Mills has been emailing concerned parents, assuring them “the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority.”
“When the school receives any report or concern involving student safety, we follow all required procedures, which include involving the appropriate authorities and ensuring that any necessary steps are taken to protect students and maintain the integrity of any ongoing review,” he wrote to one parent.
He acknowledged the challenge of dealing with the “spread of unverified information” and “how quickly rumors can spread and how damaging they can be.”
“Because we are committed to respecting the privacy and rights of all individuals involved, we are not able to comment on specific allegations, individuals or online rumors,” he wrote. “I understand that the lack of concrete information can be frustrating, especially when inaccurate information may be circulating publicly, but please know that we are addressing matters in accordance with legal and professional standards.”
“We are currently reviewing what communication may be appropriate and permissible to share with families, while still honoring privacy requirements and ensuring that any official information is accurate and does not interfere with any ongoing processes.”
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Deerlake teacher suspended over allegation of ‘improper conduct’