EVERETT — A Jackson High School teacher has been placed on paid leave while police investigate allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old student.
The girl told police she had had sex with the teacher 20 to 30 times, including in a high school storage closet, according to court documents filed Friday in Everett District Court.
The girl was in one of the teacher’s classes and also worked at the school this summer, court documents said. On the last day of summer classes, her teacher, 35, gave her his address and phone number, she told police. He told her he cared about her and kissed her, the student said.
The two kept in touch by phone and spent time together a couple of times a week during the summer, documents said.
The girl’s mother found out when she overheard a phone conversation between the teacher and her daughter on Oct. 20. The girl and her mother went to Everett police that day.
Officers are investigating the science teacher for first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, Everett Sgt. Ted Olafson said.
Police searched the man’s home and car Thursday and seized a laptop computer, bedspreads and other evidence, according to a search warrant.
The man has not been arrested, Olafson said. The Herald does not name suspects until they are charged with a crime or appear in court.
The teacher was placed on leave Wednesday morning, said Gay Campbell, spokeswoman for the Everett School District.
"Whenever we have an allegation such as this one, we put the person on administrative leave while it’s being investigated," she said.
The teacher was first employed with the district in 1996 and taught at Gateway Middle School. He left to teach in the Edmonds School District from 1998-1999, then returned and taught at Gateway from 1999-2000, Campbell said.
He has been teaching at Jackson High School since last year.
Campbell said the teacher had never been on paid administrative leave with the district before this incident. The school district will be conducting its own investigation and is cooperating with police.
The teacher is not a coach or club adviser, she said.
In the seven years Campbell has been with the district, she can’t recall another teacher being investigated for allegations of having sex with a student.
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or
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