Baker County teacher resigns amid allegations of sex with student

GLEN ST. MARY, Fla. – A Baker County High School teacher has resigned amid an investigation into allegations he had sex with a student who's a minor.

The teacher has not been charged with any wrongdoing, and the Baker County Sheriff's Office has yet to interview him. That could happen Thursday.

Deputies said they were notified Tuesday by the Baker County School District of a possible inappropriate relationship involving a teacher and student. The district said it got a a tip from another student about the relationship.

Deputies said they are interviewing possible witnesses and conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.

"We've had her mother, her family and her here, and she gave us the information that we needed from her," Sheriff Joey Dobson said.

Dobson said once the investigation is completed, all evidence will be presented to the State Attorney's Office to determine if criminal charges will be sought.

School officials said the student was not in the teacher's class.

The teacher will no longer be able to work for Baker County schools. The Florida Department of Education has been notified and will conduct an investigation to decide whether or not his teaching license will be revoked.

"Of course our first priority is the safety and welfare of our students," Superintendent Sherri Raulerson said. "We began the investigation. We took swift action to make sure that we are, again, keeping our students safe. That's our first priority."

The school district said it also notified the Department of Children and Families.

Baker County freshman Destinee Vega said the teacher was teaching her class when he got the call.

"His classroom phone rang and he answered it, and he went up to the office and he just never came back," Vega said. "It's just so shocking because he doesn't seem like that kind of guy."

Vega's sister, Baker County alumnus Miranda Vega, said she's disturbed knowing her sister was in the teacher's class.

"She said he was always pretty cool, one of her favorite teachers," Vega said. "I guess maybe the girl thought he was a little too cool."

Awsten Yonn took the teacher's class last year.

"Once I realized who the teacher was, it was really shocking because I never would have expected that from a teacher, especially the teacher that it was," Yonn said.