District fires teacher accused of having sex with student

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. (AP) — The Bainbridge School District has fired a teacher accused of having sex with a teenage student because they were seen together in and outside of school, among other reasons.

The Kitsap Sun reports that a letter firing 26-year-old Jessica Fuchs said she was let go because multiple students had seen her with her alleged victim and because she used profanity in front of students.

Fuchs was suspended in February after teachers reported claims that the science teacher had sex with an underage male. She pleaded not guilty to the charges in May. Her trial is scheduled in Kitsap Superior Court for June 29.

According to probable cause documents, police were contacted in late February by a Bainbridge Island High School Associate Principal who believed Fuchs was in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Police contacted the boy’s parents, and uncovered evidence that the boy communicated with Fuchs via the popular social media app SnapChat.

At first, documents show, the boy denied anything sexual occurred between himself and Fuchs. However, the boy allegedly later admitted to his mother that he engaged in sexual relations with Fuchs at her home, saying that Fuchs’ husband even walked in and caught them in the act.

Detectives further investigated the case, allegedly discovering that Fuchs had done an internet search on how to permanently delete cell phone records in late February. Police received a warrant to investigate Fuchs’ electronic devices, and allegedly uncovered illicit text messages and graphic videos that Fuchs sent to the boy. She allegedly sent videos titled “ForMyBaby!,” that show her without clothes.

On Feb. 23, Fuchs’ also allegedly sent a message to the boy encouraging him to delete all the messages she had sent him. According to court documents, the message to the boy reads:

“Well protect me as best you can. Remember NOTHING COMES OUT EVER! About anything you have been to my house only once. Lie like you have NEVER lied before. And try to get your mom to side with you completely and say this was all a misunderstanding! And tell the investigator that!”