Mentor Police: Former teacher arrested for alleged sexual contact with student

MENTOR -- A former math teacher at Shore Junior High School in Mentor has been arrested after school administrators were notified of an alleged sexual relationship between the teacher and a ninth grade student.

Maggie Laughlin, 23, entered no plea at her arraignment in Mentor Municipal Court and was taken to the Lake County Jail. She faces one count of sexual battery and one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Bond was set at $200,000 or $100,000 for each count. Laughlin will have to post 10 percent. If convicted, she could face up to six and a half years in prison.

School officials say Laughlin resigned her position with the district on June 6 after spending less than a year in the school system. Mentor Police Chief Dan Llewellyn said that, when arrested at her Willowick home Wednesday night, Laughlin admitted to some of the details of the charges against her.

Laughlin had accepted a new teaching position in Michigan where she planned to move with her fiancé after a planned July wedding.

Administrators say they were informed of the alleged sexual contact between teacher and student by the mother of the boy's girlfriend on June 12 and immediately notified Mentor Police.

"This crime is a devastating betrayal of the fundamental trust that parents put in their children's teachers ever day," said Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes, superintendent of schools.

The school says prior to Laughlin's hiring background checks and references revealed no prior criminal record or questionable conduct.

"We are grateful that one of our students had the courage to tell a teacher about this situation," Hoynes said. "It is so important that students take the appropriate action when they have information like this, and we will continue to strive to create an environment in our schools where students can do so."

The district says it continues to cooperate with police in any way possible during the investigation. The district also plans to file a report with the Ohio Department of Education which evaluates teacher misconduct with regard to teacher license eligibility.