Florida school official quits amid allegations of relationship with student

TAVARES, Fla. — A Eustis High School assistant principal quit before the Lake County School Board could fire her after allegations that she was having an inappropriate relationship with a female student.

Schools Superintendent Susan Moxley this week asked the School Board to allow Kristine Durias to resign rather than terminate her. School Board members agreed without comment and the school district already has begun looking for her replacement.

Durias’ decision came after district officials were
close to firing her after it came to light that she carried on a close
relationship with the student for more than 15 months, records show.
The student, now 16, attends Tavares High School.

In an investigative report to school officials, supervisor of employee relations Rebecca Nelsen said Durias “had been warned several times…to pull back from the relationship.”

The school district placed Durias, who earned $77,128 a year, on paid administrative leave Jan. 20, but the School Board changed it to an unpaid suspension five days later.

Despite being told by the girl’s parents and others
as well to end the relationship with the girl, Durias did not cease
contacting the student. She secretly called the student on the phone
and even set up a fake Facebook account to continue communicating with
her.

Durias met the teenager in September 2008 when she was assistant principal at Tavares Middle School, in what started as a sort of mentoring relationship, records show.

The administrator took the student shopping, bought
her gifts and often communicated through e-mails, text messages and
letters. Durias told the student on Facebook that she loved her like a
mother even after being moved to Eustis High last year.

According to a school-district report, she doted on
the girl with messages that included “My dearest baby girl,” “I miss
you like crazy,” “Every time I go to hall duty I think of you,” “I
really love you more than you think…You are everything I would want
in a daughter.”

The girl’s parents told school officials they saw Durias and their daughter holding hands at a birthday party.

School officials said there is no criminal investigation because there is no evidence of an illegal or sexual relationship.

Although the school district has wrapped up its investigation of Durias, a parallel investigation by the state Department of Education is ongoing, said Laurie Marshall, the district’s executive director of human resource services.

Marshall could not say how Durias’ education certification could be affected.

“The (state) Office of Professional Practices makes the recommendation regarding any sanctions on the certificate,” she said. “This is usually a lengthy process.”

Meanwhile, Lake already has begun advertising for a
new assistant principal. Marshall said a new administrator likely will
be named in March.

Durias also is the president of the board of trustees for the Mount Dora Center for the Arts, which puts on the annual Mount Dora Arts Festival.

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