ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — In a troubling incident at Lake Shore High School in St. Clair Shores, a substitute teacher was escorted from the school premises by police on Wednesday after being accused of sending explicit messages through social media to a female student.
Upon learning of the allegations, school officials removed the substitute teacher from the building.
The district has emphasized its commitment to student safety and has filed reports with Edustaff and the police as the investigation continues.
Parents have expressed their shock and concern regarding the situation.
Kevin, a parent of a female student at Lake Shore High School, says, “You would think that you wouldn't have people like that, especially nowadays where media is all around.”
Frank, another concerned parent, said, “He was wrong. He should be fired. There should be consequences for your actions.”
Parents have received communication from the district regarding the incident, which has sparked discussions among students in the hallways about the seriousness of the allegations.
Amy Dafoe, whose daughter attends Lake Shore High School, said, “It's scary letting your kids go to school and not knowing what a teacher is doing.”
She advocates for a more rigorous vetting process for educators, “I think there needs to be stronger background checks.”
Steven Anno, a father of two high school girls, expressed his frustration. “This seems to keep happening all around other cities. There needs to be a better vetting process for these teachers."
In response to the allegations, the school district released a statement confirming the immediate removal of the Edustaff employee and the ongoing investigation.
We received a report that a substitute employed through Edustaff had sent inappropriate text messages through social media to a student. The Edustaff employee was immediately removed from the High School, a report was filed with Edustaff and the Police Department. We continue to investigate this matter and all findings will be directly reported to Edustaff and the Police Department. The conduct of inappropriately text messaging a student is an offense to our students, families and staff and persons engaging in this type of behavior must firmly be held accountable to protect our kids as well as the reputation of great teachers and staff that work tirelessly on behalf of our community.
Edustaff, the substitute's employer, also released this statement:
On December 17, 2024, we were made aware of a pending investigation concerning a student complaint against a sub teacher employed by Edustaff working within Lake Shore Public Schools. Upon learning of this, the employee was immediately removed from their assignment and placed on leave. At this time, they remain on leave status and are not permitted to work in any capacity under Edustaff while the investigation is pending. We take matters like this seriously and remain committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the students and communities we serve.
