Carson teacher suspended in sex inquiry

A Carson High teacher is on paid leave while police investigate allegations that she engaged in a romantic relationship with a student.

Carson City School Superintendent Richard Stokes confirmed that a teacher is under investigation by the district and law enforcement.

Sheriff Ken Furlong said officers were called to the high school Wednesday afternoon.

"The school was requesting assistance in looking into inappropriate activities by a female teacher with a 17-year-old male student," he said. "The matter has been referred to investigators."

Furlong said the teacher was escorted off school grounds Wednesday afternoon.

She has not been charged with a crime, and her name is being withheld pending further investigation.

According to Furlong, a witness interrupted the teacher and student as they were engaged in the alleged "inappropriate conduct" on school grounds.

"The allegation is not sex at this point, it is inappropriate activity," Furlong said, declining to elaborate.

Carson City Assistant District Attorney Gerald Gardner said his office has been briefed on the case.

"There is a statue prohibiting sexual conduct between a teacher and a student. It prohibits any sexual conduct," he said.

State law indicates that it is a felony for a teacher, administrator, coach, volunteer or teacher's aide who assists with instruction or supervision of pupils to engage in sexual conduct with pupils ages 14 through 17.

Sexual conduct has a limited scope, according to NRS 201.520.

Stokes said the district is conducting its own investigation into the allegations.

There is nothing in the Carson City School District's Code of Ethics that specifically addresses sexual contact between teachers and students, but district regulations on Prevention of Sexual Harassment Against Students state, "Examples of behavior which constitute sexual misconduct include ... engaging in sexual intercourse or any sexual act with any student."

"We're working on this and allowing the Sheriff's Department to assist us on this and don't want to jump to any conclusions that we shouldn't be jumping to," said Stokes. "There are still things that we are following up ourselves on."