Board votes to fire Lakeland teacher arrested on charges of sex with student

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – The Lakeland teacher who was arrested last week on accusations of having sex with a 17-year-old student has been fired on Tuesday.

Jennifer Fichter, 29, was fired from her job as an English teacher at the Central Florida Aerospace Academy after being charged with six counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

The Polk County School Board unanimously voted to fire Fichter after an investigation into her relationship with a student was prompted by the student's mother finding text messages.

Fichter told the boy's mother she had sex with him 20 to 30 times, got pregnant at one point and had an abortion, according to police. She also professed her love for him and said she does not regret her actions, police said.

Fichter also faced additional charges in Hillsborough County that stemmed from incidents where she met with the student in a parking lot across the county line.

Orange County Public Schools said Fichter resigned in 2008 following an investigation into an inappropriate relationship she had with an eighth-grade student while teaching at Robinswood Middle School in Orlando.