HORTON, Mich. — The fate of a high school teacher and coach accused of having a sexual relationship with a former student is expected to be decided Monday night.
A special school board meeting is scheduled to consider tenure charge recommendations for Hanover-Horton teacher and head football coach Johnnie Stewart.
The meeting is open to the public and is scheduled to happen in the middle/high school media center at 10000 Moscow Road at 6 p.m. on Aug. 26.
On June 19, a former Hanover-Horton student went public with her claims that Stewart had started a sexual relationship with her when she was a student in the late 1990s.
The district placed Stewart on paid, non-disciplinary administrative leave, according to an email sent to parents by Superintendent John Denney, that was dated June 23.
That letter stated the district began conducting an internal investigation the same day.
According to an email sent to school district families on Aug. 16, Denney stated the investigation was complete.
In 2015, a different student at Hanover-Horton high school filed a complaint with the district, claiming Stewart made inappropriate comments to her.
The district investigated the allegation and determined it did not warrant any action to be taken against Stewart, Denney previously said.
A substitute teacher was arranged and an interim football coach was brought in before the school year started as Stewart remains on administrative leave.
A district has to go through certain steps to remove a tenured teacher.
Tenure charges must be filed with the state and that requires school board approval.
The teacher may appeal the decision if the school board chooses to issue charges.
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