Germantown teacher has been placed on leave, accused of sharing inappropriate content with student

The Germantown School District is under fire from a parents group after the district placed a teacher on leave.

The teacher, whom the district has not named, is accused of sharing inappropriate content with a student.

The Germantown Parents for Public Education said the district's response has been inadequate and lacks transparency.

In a May 20 letter to parents, district superintendent Chris Reuter and School Board President Russ Ewert wrote that on May 14, the district received a report about a teacher sharing inappropriate content with a student. That teacher was put on leave May 15.

"This action was taken to follow policy related to due process, further emphasizing our dedication to maintaining a safe learning environment," Reuter and Ewert said in their letter, a copy of which was shared with the Journal Sentinel.

The two said in their letter that the district did not communicate about the allegation until the following week "to ensure that all legal responsibilities regarding staff employment were followed."

"As this investigation continues, student safety will remain our top priority," the letter said.

Reuter did not immediately respond to a reporter's follow-up phone call or email messages seeking more information about the investigation.

In an email to a reporter, Germantown Police chief Mike Snow said the district has not asked police for assistance.

"We are aware of the complaint but are not involved in any investigation," Snow said.

Days before the district sent its letter to parents, the parents group on May 17 posted on Facebook a screenshot of a letter it sent to Reuter saying rumors were spreading because the district had been "silent on the incident for more than 48 hours."

In a May 20 Facebook post responding to Reuter's and Ewert's letter, the parents group said the district's statement was vague and generated "more questions than answers." The group also claimed "the district only addressed families after public pressure and media inquiries."

The group also said the lack of communication from the district left parents unprepared to talk to their children about the situation and that parents have the right to know if their child was a student in that teacher's classroom and whether the district is speaking to students about the teacher's behavior.

The group did not immediately respond to a reporter's email seeking to discuss the issue further.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Germantown teacher placed on leave