Charges have not been filed against Lamar County School District teacher who has been fired after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student because of the student’s age.
Fifteenth Judicial District Attorney Hal Kittrell said his office was notified last week by Lamar County School Resource Officers after the incident came to light that no criminal case exists.
“What I am told is that the school resource officers reported to my office,” he said. “They actually came by the office the other day and said, ‘Basically, we’re here to tell you that we checked into it. The student at the time was 18 (years old), so that’s not a crime. But we thought we’d come by and let you know what we found out.’
“Even though they weren’t required by law, I read in the paper that they were going to report to the D.A.’s office. They did.”
Kittrell said he considered the visit a courtesy from the Lamar County School District. He also said that the school system could handle the situation internally.
“There is no crime, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to handle it administratively,” he said. “He was 18. That ‘position of trust’ situation is what they would have been charged with, but that has got to be under 18.”
Kittrell said he was pleased to be notified by school district officials.
“They really just came to us and advised us that they had checked into it,” he said. “They said, ‘The kid is 18, we’re not pursuing criminal charges and they are going to deal with it at the school.’ We appreciate the information. They didn’t have to contact us, but they did.”
According to a statement issued by Superintendent Tess Smith, school officials began an immediate investigation as soon as they received reports of the relationship.
“The teacher has been terminated and the issue reported to the (Mississippi) Department of Education Department of Licensure,” Smith said in the statement. “We take this type of report very seriously and will continue to investigate all allegations and take full and immediate action.”
The names of the teacher and the school were not released.Charges have not been filed against Lamar County School District teacher who has been fired after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student because of the student’s age.
Fifteenth Judicial District Attorney Hal Kittrell said his office was notified last week by Lamar County School Resource Officers after the incident came to light that no criminal case exists.
“What I am told is that the school resource officers reported to my office,” he said. “They actually came by the office the other day and said, ‘Basically, we’re here to tell you that we checked into it. The student at the time was 18 (years old), so that’s not a crime. But we thought we’d come by and let you know what we found out.’
“Even though they weren’t required by law, I read in the paper that they were going to report to the D.A.’s office. They did.”
Kittrell said he considered the visit a courtesy from the Lamar County School District. He also said that the school system could handle the situation internally.
“There is no crime, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to handle it administratively,” he said. “He was 18. That ‘position of trust’ situation is what they would have been charged with, but that has got to be under 18.”
Kittrell said he was pleased to be notified by school district officials.
“They really just came to us and advised us that they had checked into it,” he said. “They said, ‘The kid is 18, we’re not pursuing criminal charges and they are going to deal with it at the school.’ We appreciate the information. They didn’t have to contact us, but they did.”
According to a statement issued by Superintendent Tess Smith, school officials began an immediate investigation as soon as they received reports of the relationship.
“The teacher has been terminated and the issue reported to the (Mississippi) Department of Education Department of Licensure,” Smith said in the statement. “We take this type of report very seriously and will continue to investigate all allegations and take full and immediate action.”
The names of the teacher and the school were not released.
