POINCIANA, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the assistant principal of Lake Marion Creek Middle School.
Keiva Lark, 53, has been charged with lewd/lascivious conduct and lewd offense against a student by an authority figure.
The allegations involve accused misbehavior with a 13-year old male student.
Investigators say the incident occurred after the victim was sent to Lark’s office due to throwing balled-up paper across the classroom during a test. According to the news release, witnesses and the victim said described behavior she made him do and inappropriate things she said to him, both in her office and later in the hallway.
Detectives say a witness told them Lark confessed she “crossed the line” several days later.
The sheriff’s office says the principal reported the incident on Friday, prompting an investigation. The Polk County School Board and the Florida Department of Children and Families were also notified, and Lark was placed on administrative leave, pending the investigation.
“Dr. Lark initially told detectives that this was only a joke, and that she was just trying to humble the victim. It’s completely inappropriate for a 53-year old woman to act and talk like this to a middle school boy. It’s even worse given that this was an assistant principal and her student,” said Sheriff Grady Judd.
The sheriff said Lark later admitted that her actions were inappropriate professionally but denied saying anything inappropriate to the victim.
“This is abhorrent behavior for anyone who works among students, especially an administrator. This person no longer has any business being around children. We commend the school principal for immediately reporting this incident, so we could take action and work with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to protect students,” said Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Heid.
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