A teacher at a public high school who had been under investigation for alleged sexual activity with a student has apparently left the island.
Sources tell KHJ News that the male teacher is believed to have had sexual relations with a male student during this just concluded school year.
Victims’ advocate Mrs Ipu Lefiti said that in the last week of April, she was contacted by a coach who was concerned of the student-teacher sexual relationship.
The official informed Mrs Lefiti that the student had named the teacher involved.
The situation was reported to the principal by the student’s teacher, who reassured the teacher, she will report it to proper authority.
Two weeks went by, and the alleged sex offender was still, teaching and transporting students on and off campus.
Mrs Lefiti said after she was contacted, as a victim’s advocate she went directly to DOE Director Dr. Ruth Matagi Tofiga and informed her.
It was the first time the DOE director had heard of the incident, said Mrs Lefiti.
Mrs Lefiti told KHJ News, ” I will all always be grateful to her (DOE Director) as I watched her immediate response. She started off her contacts to pull in all the players including DPS and legal counsel to protect the victim and the alleged offender pending investigation.
Mrs Lefiti said , “If the investigation comes out true, I really believe that the principal of the school where the alleged teacher student sexual activity was happening should be slapped heavily with the violation of the Mandated Reporting law.
“The principal should be used as an example,” said the victims’ advocate. It will send a strong message to all the professionals and community that, Mandated Reporting is not a joke.
KHJ News has been reliably informed that the teacher who has been under investigation left the island last month.
