JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students are coming to the defense of a Fletcher High School teacher accused of having inappropriate sexual conduct with a teenager.
Zachary Schaubhut, 26, of Neptune Beach was arrested Wednesday on a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
According to the charge, the victim is 16 or 17 years old.
Schaubhut has been released on $35,000 bond.
The Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened at the school last October. But the victim did not report it until last week, and the investigation started with the Department of Children and Families.
One student created a GoFundMe account and started the hashtag #FreeSchaub in support of his teacher, who was also the quarterback coach at Fletcher High School.
On the GoFundMe page, the creator wrote, "This teacher didn't deserve any of this. All he's done is help people that needed it. Just the other day, he said, 'I'm living the dream.' Give him his dream back everyone."
As of Thursday night, the account had only raised $10 of the $35,000 goal.
"I mean, yes, it's a rough thing. But students love what he's done for the school and the community and the football team," student Mackie Bell said.
School administrators informed students Thursday about Schaubhut's arrest.
"The announcement this morning covered a little of it, saying he did what he did, what mistake he made. It shocked us really bad. And we didn't think Schaub would have done that to someone who we sit in class with," student Devon Primiano said.
News4Jax went to Schaubhut's Neptune Beach house, but no one came to the door. News4Jax also tried called him, but has not yet heard back.
Neighbors said they aren't as forgiving as some of his students.
"You don't mess around with your students. It's illegal. She's underage. And for someone to be that desperate to take advantage of a student, the guy needs to go to jail for at least 10 years," neighbor Mitch Rady said.
The Duval County School District said Schaubhut has been removed from the classroom, pending the investigation.
According to his personnel file, the School District hired Schaubhut in January 2015.