Teacher Charged For Coercing Student Into Having Sex With Them In School Closet
A Florida teacher is charged with coercing a former student into having sex with him inside his classroom's oversized closet.
Florida education has been dominating news headlines throughout this school year. Much of that attention is being praised, as conservative parents hail the state for leading the nation in woke school reform. But today, unfortunately, Florida schools have made headlines for a sinister reason. A Florida teacher has reportedly been charged for coercing a former student into having sex with him inside his classroom closet.
The New York Post reported on the allegations stating that the Florida teacher, Daniel Heath Norment, was arrested on May 10th for an illegal sex act with a minor. The 41-year-old educator was a middle school teacher at Independence Middle School in Jupiter, Florida. His victim, now an 18-year-old college student, went to the police in March with her allegations against her former teacher, which she said started when she had him in middle school.
The investigation detailed the at-the-time minors’ painstaking reports of sexual abuse from the Florida teacher. She reported that when she was his student, he began touching her in a forward manner, rubbing her back and shoulders, and kissing her on the cheeks. But at the time, the student said she didn’t think much of it, and simply liked the attention. Furthermore, she said the teacher admitted to giving her good grades, simply because she was “mature for her age.”
She also said that after moving up from middle school, she and the Florida teacher exchanged phone numbers. The minor would often return to the teacher’s classroom when she was in 10th and 11th grade, at first to help him with classwork filing and cleaning. Eventually, she stated that the relationship took a turn, and Norment led her “by the hand” to his classroom’s oversized closet, where he coerced her into having sex with him on a couch. She told authorities that he had told her at the time that he was falling in love with her.
The victim made note that after that incident, she ceased all communication with the Florida teacher. She remarked that he never attempted to reach out to her afterward, as well. Gaining the courage to speak out against him earlier this year, she told police that she knew the incident was wrong. But further details show just how bad the situation may have been.
The school didn’t need to fire the Florida teacher upon discovering his allegations, as he had already been fired for something else. Norment, who was said to have been employed by Independent Middle School for over six years, was let go from his position following similar complaints. Norment also served as the school’s basketball coach. WPEC reported that the school received information that he allowed the young females to change for games inside his classroom closet. He was said to have been found watching them as they got changed, leading to his employment termination.
Police charged the Florida teacher with unlawful sexual activity and sex offense against a student by an authority figure. His bond was set at $100,000, and the Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that he remains in custody as his bond is unposted. A judge also has ordered Norment not to have any contact with anyone under the age of 18, and to keep away from all Palm Beach County school district properties.
