Teacher's Conduct With Student Investigated
Woman Accused Of Inappropriate Relationship With 17-Year-Old
POSTED: Tuesday, April 3, 2007
UPDATED: 10:15 am EDT April 4, 2007
MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. -- A Brevard County school teacher has been placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate claims that she had an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old male student, according to a school official.
Jennifer Leigh-Manuell, 25, a second-year middle school science teacher at Edgewood Junior-Senior High School in Merritt Island, has not been arrested or charged, but the Brevard County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation into the allegations, interviewing staff and students.
"We're trying to detail what the relationship is. (We want to know) what kind of activity may or may not have happened between the teacher and student," Sgt. Tod Goodyear of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office said.
The allegations surfaced via an anonymous tip, according to investigators.
Details of the alleged misconduct are not known. Local 6 News reported that the 17-year-old was in one of Leigh-Manuell's classes.
Parents of students at the school were informed of the allegations via a recorded phone message, Local 6 News reported.
Leigh-Manuell also coaches junior varsity cheerleading, according to the Web site.
According to the school's Web site, Leigh-Manuell graduated with two bachelor degrees, in physics and space science with an emphasis on astronomy and astrophysics in 2003, and a master's degree in teaching from Florida Institute of Technology.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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