Female High School Woodworking Teacher Charged With 6 Felonies For Relationship With Male Student

Richard

Lena Stewart, a 27-year-old agriculture and carpentry teacher at Nix High School in Nix, Missouri, was accused of having an intimate relationship with a 16-year-old schoolgirl.

Stewart was charged with six felonies: sexual contact with a student (three counts), sodomy (two counts) and rape (one count). He was also accused of sexual harassment. Stewart was arrested January 22 and released January 23 on $25,000 bail.

According to court documents, Stewart and the student used a "secret Instagram account" to communicate. The investigation began on December 7, when Stewart was granted leave, and prompted by concerns from the students' parents that she was spending too much time with Stewart.

The student was interviewed at the Springfield Child Welfare Center and said he met Stewart several times in October at a friend's house out of town. The first time they kiss and he undresses and the second time they have sex.

The student said he felt pressured to continue the relationship and worried that otherwise his grades might suffer. He got an A in Stewart's class this year.

"Today we learned that a lawsuit has been filed against Lena Stewart, a teacher at Nix High School," a Nix County spokesperson said. “We take allegations of misconduct very seriously, so when those allegations were made in December, the district followed policy and procedure and then placed Lena Stewart on administrative leave and will continue to follow board policies and procedures as it reviews this situation. ."

"The county will cooperate with the appropriate authorities as they investigate and fully cooperate with anything they request."

Stewart is also the director of Future Farmers of America (FFA), a youth organization that Nixa is returning to in 2021. If convicted of the most serious charges, he could face up to seven years in prison.