By Cathy Logg
Herald Writer
EVERETT — A male teacher at Ferndale High School allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old female student at an Everett-area motel in April during their sexual relationship, according to court documents filed Tuesday in Snohomish County Superior Court.
The 35-year-old teacher, who is married and the father of a small child, resigned after the relationship was reported to school officials and the police in Whatcom County, according to the court affidavit.
Snohomish County sheriff’s investigators served two search warrants on May 16 and seized a school computer, computer disks, photographs and a duffel bag with school work from the school, along with the teacher’s employment and personnel records.
School officials reported the case to Ferndale police, who asked the sheriff’s office to investigate after information came to light about the hotel incident.
The girl initially denied that the relationship was sexual, because she loved the teacher and hoped to spend her life with him, court documents said. She feared their relationship would end and he would lose his job if it became public.
The relationship began in late 2001 and came to light after the girl’s mother reviewed her daughter’s cell phone bills and was concerned about excessive calls, including many to the teacher, the affidavit said.
Other teachers at the school became concerned about the amount of time the teacher was spending with the girl, according to court papers. Some warned him to sever all ties with her, and some voiced their concerns to a school counselor.
Instead of breaking off with the girl, however, he sought to have her become his teacher’s assistant, a request rejected by school officials, according to court papers.
Their first sexual encounter allegedly occurred in February at the school, the affidavit said.
The two had extensive communication by phone and the Internet, and often met in a grocery store parking lot, where they sat together in one of their cars, the affidavit said.
The girl later admitted having a sexual relationship with the teacher, the affidavit said. She allegedly met him in Snohomish County and had sex with him at the motel while he was on military reserve duty.
After they had sex, they talked about their relationship and talked of breaking up, the affidavit said. The girl wanted more from him, and he said he couldn’t give her more because he didn’t want to lose his job or leave his wife and child, the affidavit said.
The girl told police she left the motel room about 4 a.m. and received a speeding ticket on her way home for driving about 100 mph, according to the affidavit.
In April, school principal David Hutchinson met with the teacher, who denied any personal relationship with the girl. When Hutchinson told him the case had been forwarded to the administration for action, the teacher resigned.
You can call Herald Writer Cathy Logg at 425-339-3437 or send e-mail to logg@heraldnet.com.
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