Edhat Staff
A Santa Barbara High School staff member is under investigation after an inappropriate text exchange with a student.
Parents received a notification through the messaging system “ParentSquare” from Principal Fred Razo stating the employee was immediately removed from campus and has been placed on leave pending the results of an investigation by the Santa Barbara Police Department.
The staff member has not been identified and details of the alleged incident have not been revealed, although Razo confirmed the allegations involve an employee’s inappropriate text message exchange with a student.
“There is no greater priority than the safety of our children,” Razo stated in the parent message. “I am writing to inform you that Santa Barbara Unified is cooperating fully with local law enforcement as part of an ongoing investigation involving a staff member at Santa Barbara High School.”
Razo went on to state that when the District learned of this allegation, the employee was immediately removed from campus and placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation by both law enforcement and District administration.
The message also expressed the importance for parents to be aware of their children’s online presence and social media activity, including who has access to them through cell phones.
Parents, caregivers, students, and peers are asked to report all suspicious activity between staff members and students immediately.
“The District is fully committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all. Any allegations of misconduct are treated with the utmost seriousness, and we will not tolerate behavior that undermines the trust of our school community. We encourage anyone with concerns to report them to an administrator or law enforcement right away,” according to a statement from the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
This is a developing story. More information will be added to this article as soon as it’s available.
