CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Chillicothe Intermediate School teacher resigned on March 31 following allegations of inappropriate messaging with students, sources familiar with the matter confirmed on Friday. The Chillicothe City School District, local law enforcement, and the Guardian have not substantiated these allegations.

In line with its policy, the Guardian is withholding the teacher’s name, as no credible criminal investigation has been confirmed, and no charges have been filed. Screenshots of alleged messages circulating in the community have not been authenticated by this news organization.

Chillicothe City School District Superintendent Debbie Swinehart released a statement Friday, confirming that the district has communicated with the affected families. Student families in the teacher’s class were notified of her resignation when it occurred.

“A teacher in our district was reported to have been engaging in inappropriate dialogue outside of approved channels,” Swinehart said. “The District administration immediately removed the teacher from the classroom, did an investigation, conducted a disciplinary hearing, and the teacher resigned. The teacher never returned to the classroom. Chillicothe City Schools takes student safety extremely seriously and acts accordingly. The matter has been reported to the Ohio State Board of Education certification and licensure office.”  

The district reported the resignation to the Ohio Board of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct, which investigates educator misconduct. The state agency did not respond to requests for comment, and its online disciplinary database shows no current proceedings against the teacher. Similarly, a public records request to the Chillicothe Police Department returned no records involving the former teacher, indicating no active law enforcement involvement at this time.

The Guardian believes it is our responsibility to report on matters of public interest, particularly when they are already being openly discussed in the community, as this matter is. In preparing this story, we spoke with the families of alleged victims, the school district, local law enforcement, and state officials, while also reviewing the unauthenticated screenshots at the center of the allegations. We emphasize that while these allegations are serious, they remain unsubstantiated, and we are mindful of the profound impact such reports can have on all involved.

The Guardian will provide updates if new information becomes available.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, confidential support is available. Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-HOPE (4673) or visit www.rainn.org for resources and assistance.

A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the school as the middle and high school.