Santa Barbara High School Staff Member Under Investigation
Police and School District Investigating SBHS Employee for Inappropriate Text Exchange with Student
A staff member at Santa Barbara High School has been removed from campus and placed on leave after allegedly sharing an inappropriate text exchange with a student.
According to the Santa Barbara Unified School District, the employee is currently under investigation by the Santa Barbara Police Department and the school district.
The district said it is unable to provide additional details at this time. However, in a statement to families on Monday, Santa Barbara High Principal Fred Razo said, “Both Santa Barbara High School and District Administrators want to reiterate our firm condemnation of all cases of misconduct toward students.”
“I want to take this opportunity to express the importance of being aware of your child’s online presence
and social media activity, including who has access to your child through their cell phones,” he added. “The National
Sexual Violence Resource Center has tips and information for parents to keep their children safe available
at this website.”
Additionally, the district affirmed that it 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,” it said in a statement on Monday.
“We encourage anyone with concerns to report them to an administrator or law enforcement right away. We understand that this news may be difficult for many, and our thoughts are with those affected. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and provide updates as the investigation progresses. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this situation.”
