“I would just say they are inappropriate,” Schoenlein said.
Mauch’s behavior falls under the state’s guidelines for teacher misconduct, so the school district will have to report their investigation to the Ohio Department of Education, Schoenlein said.
District officials confiscated Mauch’s school computer immediately after they received an accusation against Mauch, Schoenlein said.
The district started an internal investigation against Mauch, 47, after another teacher heard a comment that was made by a student and reported it to an administrator.
The e-mails found on Mauch’s school computer confirmed the accusation against him, according to Schoenlein.
Mauch, who is also the high school’s National Honor Society adviser, confessed to what he said in the e-mails when he was confronted by Fairmont Principal Dan Von Handorf, Schoenlein said.
Mauch was put on paid administrative leave on Nov. 9.
“He gave us a resignation, but it’s effective March 1,” Schoenlein said.
Mauch will continue to be paid bi-monthly until March 1, according to a resignation agreement between Mauch, district officials and their attorneys. He will also continue to have health insurance through the district through July.
Mauch was a tenured employee and his salary for the 2009-2010 school year is $77, 260.
“He has given Kettering City Schools 24 years of good service,” Schoenlein said of why the district decided to pay Mauch despite him being out of the classroom for five months. “He has a family and we’re trying to be reasonable and fair.”
Schoenlein said he didn’t know why Mauch would send inappropriate e-mails to students and that Mauch never gave district officials a reason for his behavior.
“I wish I knew what he was thinking,” Schoenlein said. “Any organization that deals with young people has to maintain very high professional standards and individuals that work with young people, need to hold themselves to high professional and personal standards.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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