Natalie Fraxedas, a 23 year old rookie Santaluces HS teacher, admitted to having sex with an 18 year old high school senior who she met while tutoring him in Spanish. Fraxedas started having sex with him in January, a charge which would have led to a sexual battery arrest if he was under 18.
Throughout the fall and winter, Fraxedas exchanged flirtatious text messages with the student and gave him higher marks than he deserved in Spanish class, according to the police investigation.
By January, she and the student were having sex at Fraxedas' West Palm Beach apartment. Both denied having sex on the Santaluces High campus.During interviews with school police, Fraxedas said the student initiated the relationship, and she agreed to it only after he turned 18.
But the student told police that Fraxedas recently had become extremely jealous and possessive and had made him uncomfortable in class. A three-page love letter from Fraxedas also painted her as the pursuer.
"I want you to be my man that can stick with me through thick-n-think," she wrote. "I believe that you want to be with me ... I just don't think you've had a 'real' relationship and don't know how to handle one."
At the end of the letter, she tells the student that she will wait for him.
"Even if I only see you in class. I will wait till May 18," she wrote referring to Santaluces' graduation.
Because Fraxedas had sex with an 18 year old victim, she can't be charged with sexual abuse, but there were calls to change that.
Despite the numerous laws passed this legislative session to combat educator sexual misconduct, none included criminalizing sex between a teacher and an adult student. Only five states - Connecticut, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio and Wyoming - have such laws. [Also, Texas has such a law. Other states, like Illinois, raise the AOC for teacher/student sex to 18 from lower consent ages. New Jersey prosecutes sex with 18 year old students as official misconduct].
[State Sen. Don]Gaetz, a former school district superintendent, said any teacher who has a sexual relationship with a student should be barred from teaching in Florida and face criminal charges.
"Any educator who abuses that trust has committed a crime," he said.
Santaluces Principal Kathy Orloff decided not to renew Fraxedas' teaching contract, which is the same as firing. After being reassigned, she has had no contact with students since March. While she apologized for the "affair" and believed that it was inappropriate, Fraxedas believes that she should not face internal Florida Department Of Education discipline, which can include revocation.
Fraxedas recieved high marks for teaching from some colleagues.
At least one colleague described Fraxedas as a dedicated teacher. In a glowing letter to Orloff commending her, the teacher noted that Fraxedas kept her mornings and afternoons free to tutor students struggling in her class. She brought in cupcakes on their birthdays.
According to Orloff, if other school districts ask for references, she'll refer them to Fraxedas' file which include the misconduct investigation.
Throughout the fall and winter, Fraxedas exchanged flirtatious text messages with the student and gave him higher marks than he deserved in Spanish class, according to the police investigation.
By January, she and the student were having sex at Fraxedas' West Palm Beach apartment. Both denied having sex on the Santaluces High campus.During interviews with school police, Fraxedas said the student initiated the relationship, and she agreed to it only after he turned 18.
But the student told police that Fraxedas recently had become extremely jealous and possessive and had made him uncomfortable in class. A three-page love letter from Fraxedas also painted her as the pursuer.
"I want you to be my man that can stick with me through thick-n-think," she wrote. "I believe that you want to be with me ... I just don't think you've had a 'real' relationship and don't know how to handle one."
At the end of the letter, she tells the student that she will wait for him.
"Even if I only see you in class. I will wait till May 18," she wrote referring to Santaluces' graduation.
Because Fraxedas had sex with an 18 year old victim, she can't be charged with sexual abuse, but there were calls to change that.
Despite the numerous laws passed this legislative session to combat educator sexual misconduct, none included criminalizing sex between a teacher and an adult student. Only five states - Connecticut, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio and Wyoming - have such laws. [Also, Texas has such a law. Other states, like Illinois, raise the AOC for teacher/student sex to 18 from lower consent ages. New Jersey prosecutes sex with 18 year old students as official misconduct].
[State Sen. Don]Gaetz, a former school district superintendent, said any teacher who has a sexual relationship with a student should be barred from teaching in Florida and face criminal charges.
"Any educator who abuses that trust has committed a crime," he said.
Santaluces Principal Kathy Orloff decided not to renew Fraxedas' teaching contract, which is the same as firing. After being reassigned, she has had no contact with students since March. While she apologized for the "affair" and believed that it was inappropriate, Fraxedas believes that she should not face internal Florida Department Of Education discipline, which can include revocation.
Fraxedas recieved high marks for teaching from some colleagues.
At least one colleague described Fraxedas as a dedicated teacher. In a glowing letter to Orloff commending her, the teacher noted that Fraxedas kept her mornings and afternoons free to tutor students struggling in her class. She brought in cupcakes on their birthdays.
According to Orloff, if other school districts ask for references, she'll refer them to Fraxedas' file which include the misconduct investigation.
An Palm Beach Post Editorial talks about criminalization of sex between adults, arguing against it.
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