Police: Teacher-student relationship not criminal

OGDEN — A relationship between a 47-year-old Ogden High School teacher and a former student was inappropriate, police say, but did not rise to the level of criminal activity.

Police concluded their investigation Monday and found several school policy violations by the teacher but not enough evidence to charge him with a crime, said Ogden Police Lt. Scott Conley.

The investigation did uncover a pattern of inappropriate behavior by the teacher. Since 2000, he has had similar inappropriate relationships with six female students under his teaching supervision, but was careful to ensure that no activity with the teens was illegal because of their age, Conley said.

“It is very apparent that he had a method of operation using his resources and employment to develop relationships with girls,” he said. “It’s amazing how they mirror each other.”

Conley expressed concern that so many inappropriate relationships occurred between the teacher and students over nine years and no one reported it until now.

“It’s immoral, inappropriate, it’s stepping over the boundary of being a teacher, but it’s not criminal,” Conley said. “I wish more people would come forward when they see things like this.

“It totally amazes me, and it’s really unfortunate no one came forward. We had people who were aware of things taking place, and they didn’t come forward — that is one of the main issues I have.”

Conley said the other girls were identified through sources or information obtained in the investigation. Many have gone on with their lives and have families now, Conley said, and spoke on condition of anonymity.

None of those relationships overlapped, he said, but were spaced out over years.

The police shared their findings with Ogden City School District officials Monday. If new information becomes available, the case could be reopened, Conley said.

The police and the district began separate investigations about three weeks ago into whether the teacher had an inappropriate relationship with a female while she was a student.

Donna Corby, district spokeswoman, said the district’s administrative investigation is continuing.

“We will follow appropriate procedures relevant to the information that we have obtained,” she said.
 
The teacher remains on paid administrative leave.

A caller to the Standard-Examiner initially reported the relationship between the teacher and student developed during the 2007-08 school year when the girl was at Ogden High. The teacher and former student now live together and she is a college sophomore, the caller said.

The name of the teacher has not been released by the school district or by police.