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According to Fox 59, South Decatur High School is in shock after learning that one of its teachers, Paige Simon, was arrested on Friday on charges of stalking and official misconduct. Simon was listed as a special education teacher at South Decatur Jr.-Sr. High School located at 8885 IN-3, Greensburg, IN 47240.
According to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, the investigation into Simon began in early April after reports of possible inappropriate behavior between the teacher and a 15-year-old student. The teacher allegedly sent the student over 600 text messages that included lewd and smutty jokes.
The student reportedly told police that Simon had sexual-related conversations with him and another student in the classroom. Simon is said to have talked to the students in the class about her sex toys and how she used them to pleasure herself. It was also reported that she let the students call her derogatory names that were sexual in nature.
The student quit responding to Simon’s messages, but she kept messaging him anyway. She even reportedly showed up at one of the student’s baseball games after he had blocked her number.
Simon resigned from her position but was arrested and booked into the Decatur County Jail on Friday, April 28, 2023. She has been charged with two Level 6 felonies, including stalking and official misconduct in addition to a misdemeanor charge of battery. She was released with a $1,000 bond.
Decatur County Community Schools released a statement expressing its shock and disgust at the allegations of Simon’s behavior. The school said it was taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of its students and staff. It also said it was providing counseling and support to those affected by the situation.
Attorney contributor Jeff Gibson represents victims of sexual abuse in civil lawsuits in the state of Indiana. As an experienced school sexual abuse lawyer, Jeff recently shared some information regarding the legal options available to victims stalked by a high school teacher.
"Schools have a duty to ensure the safety and security of their students, and any teacher found to have violated that trust should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. It is a violation of the student's civil rights for a teacher to stalk or harass them, and victims should be provided with the legal means to seek justice if their rights have been violated.
At the same time, schools must take proactive measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place. This includes providing adequate training and resources to teachers, as well as having a clear policy in place to address any reports of stalking or harassment. All school employees should have to pass a background check to ensure they do not have a past of misconduct. Additionally, security cameras and frequent security sweeps can help to reduce the risk of misconduct on the school campus.
In addition, schools must ensure that victims of this type of abuse have access to the necessary resources and support they need to heal. This may include access to counseling services or legal assistance.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of schools to ensure the safety and security of their students, and they must take all necessary steps to protect them from any form of abuse or harassment. Victims of stalking or sexual misconduct by a teacher should not hesitate to seek legal justice to hold all negligent parties accountable."
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