PARKE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - A Parke County teacher has resigned and a teacher's assistant has been let go in connection to allegations about an inappropriate relationship with a student.
That's according to a letter from the Southwest Parke Community School Corporation.
On Monday, school officials learned about an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student. The school corporation reported this to the Department of Child Services right away.
The teacher was placed on leave.
During the investigation, officials learned a teaching assistant did not report the inappropriate relationship. That assistant was fired.
The teacher accused of the relationship with the student resigned on October 2.
We have been in contact with the Parke County Sheriff's Office on the status of the investigation. We are expecting to learn more next week.
See the full letter below.
STATEMENT OF THE SOUTHWEST PARKE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION
On Monday, September 30, 2019 the Southwest Parke Community School Corporation was informed of an inappropriate relationship between a former teacher and a student. Southwest Parke immediately notified the Indiana Department of Child Services, placed the former teacher on leave, and commenced its investigation. Upon learning additional information through the course of its investigation, Southwest Parke terminated the employment of a teaching assistant who failed to report the relationship, and Southwest Parke also started the dismissal process—which is set by Indiana law—for the former teacher. Southwest Parke further notified the parents. The teacher resigned on Wednesday, October 2, 2019.
Southwest Parke takes seriously its obligation to ensure the safety and security of its students. Accordingly, Southwest Parke takes allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and will move quickly to investigate them. Southwest Parke has cooperated fully with the law enforcement investigation and will continue to do so in this matter.
