The North Allegheny School Board Wednesday night accepted the resignation of a female English teacher suspected of having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old boy.
Allegheny County Police Assistant Superintendent James Morton yesterday confirmed that county detectives are investigating allegations involving Julie Stimmel, 28, of Franklin Park. Stimmel taught composition and American literature at North Allegheny Senior High School in McCandless.
Morton said he expects detectives to meet this week with District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala's office and a lawyer hired by the boy's family to determine if criminal charges are warranted.
Morton said he was eager to make that determination quickly because of the sensitive nature of the case and the amount of talk the case was generating in the community. He said the investigation began Friday.
The school board voted unanimously last night, without comment, to accept Stimmel's resignation.
Before the regularly scheduled meeting, school Superintendent Patricia P. Green read a brief statement acknowledging that the district began an investigation after allegations of "inappropriate behavior" by an employee surfaced.
The employee, who was not named in the statement, subsequently resigned, Green said.
McCandless police Chief Gary W. Anderson and Franklin Park police Chief Donald R. Dorsch asked county detectives to investigate the allegations, Morton said.
Morton declined further comment.
A truck was parked in the driveway of the Stimmel house, but nobody answered the door just before noon yesterday.
The family of the boy could not be reached.
According to the school district's Web site, Stimmel graduated from Slippery Rock University, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education.
Stimmel was certified under her maiden name, Lawrence, in August 2004 in "English Instructional One" for grades 7-12, according to state Department of Education records. Her certification status is "active," and her record does not show any actions taken against her.
