The Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District reports today that they are investigating allegations that a voice teacher at the school had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.
The teacher has resigned, and the district has reported the matter to both the Greene County Sheriff's Office and the New York State Education Department.
Investigator Adam Brainard told the Watershed Post that the Greene County Sheriff's Office had investigated the allegations. According to statements made by people questioned during the investigation, "there was an inappropriate sexual relationship between the teacher and the student," Brainard said.
But because the student involved is 17 years old -- the age of consent in New York State -- there have been no criminal charges filed.
"There's no law that addresses the teacher-student relationship," he said. "According to all her training from the Board of Education, all the other training she's gone through, that's not accepted practice, but according to criminal law there's nothing to address at this point."
The press release from the school does not state the teacher's name, and Brainard would not release it, since no criminal charges have been filed. We will update this post when we have more information.
Update, 4/25: The Daily Mail reports today that the teacher is Emily Gage, a first-year teacher in her early 20s.
The school is pushing for an investigation by the state Education Department, superintendent John Wiktorko told the Daily Mail:
“It is unfortunate there is no possibility for criminal prosecution. The school district, however, will do everything in its power to facilitate an S.E.D. investigation into her license,” Wiktorko said.
The time frame of the alleged improper conduct is not known, Witkorko said, adding, “my feeling is that if this is going on in someone's mind for a quarter of a second, it's too long.
