Florida strips former Palm Seaside County instructor of her license after relationship with pupil
Kimberly Charles, a former instructor at Forest Hill Excessive Faculty, has misplaced the proper to work in Florida’s public faculties after a years-long course of that began when police accused her of getting a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old pupil.
The connection started round 2018 and the instructor’s “flirtatious conduct” finally caught the eye of a faculty district worker and different witnesses. That led to an investigation in 2019 and detectives’ interview with a lady, who described “sexual exercise” and sleepovers at Charles’ home, in accordance with a police report.
After her arrest in 2020, Charles prevented a felony conviction for lewd conduct towards a pupil by pleading responsible to the lesser cost of contributing to the delinquency of a kid, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Learn extra: Forest Hill Excessive instructor had sexual relations with pupil, police say
Charles, who taught English to audio system of different languages at Forest, additionally agreed to resign from the Palm Seaside County Faculty District and to not search re-employment in native faculties or different jobs “in shut proximity to kids.”
Now, the Florida Division of Schooling has completely revoked her educator certificates, in accordance with an order filed Wednesday. Educator certificates are required to work as a instructor, administrator, steering counselor or media specialist, amongst different faculty positions.
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And beneath Florida legislation, when an individual’s educator certificates is revoked, they’ll now not work “in any capability requiring direct contact with college students” at a public faculty.
The revocation follows an administrative criticism filed in November 2021 by then-Schooling Commissioner Richard Corcoran, who known as for sanctions towards the Palm Seaside County instructor, including to the punishment handed down in her felony case the yr earlier than.
Circuit Decide Jeffrey Gillen ordered Charles, 29, of West Palm Seaside, to serve 30 days in jail and full one yr of probation, although the choose later agreed to finish her probation early.
She additionally needed to write an apology letter, end 100 hours of neighborhood service and bear a psychological analysis, together with any really helpful therapies.
Charles declined to remark via her lawyer, Arthur Schofield, who represented her throughout the Schooling Division’s disciplinary case.
Giuseppe Sabella is an training reporter at The Palm Seaside Put up, a part of the USA TODAY Florida Community. You may attain him at gsabella@pbpost.com. Assist help our journalism and subscribe at the moment.
This text initially appeared on Palm Seaside Put up: Florida strips license from former Forest Hill Excessive Faculty instructor
