MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A man who taught at Tradition Preparatory High School is accused of inappropriate conduct with a 16-year-old girl.
Addam LeClair, 43, of Hobe Sound, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said.
Below is the message that was sent to parents by principal Christiana Coburn:
Dear Pirate Family:
As you know, the safety and security of our students is always our number one priority. That’s why it is so disheartening to learn of a former teacher’s arrest. Rest assured, we will always promptly take all appropriate actions if ever any allegation of inappropriate behavior is reported to us. This is never news we want to share but we know that we will do everything within our power to maintain a learning environment where your students feel safe and protected. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to build strong minds and good hearts.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the investigation began on Tuesday. LeClair had been communicating with the student since March and had given her his number on a sticky note, suggesting she should contact him if she needed someone to talk to. The student later contacted LeClair, deputies said, and this initiated a pattern of communication between LeClair and the girl, which she described as becoming "increasingly frequent" and "inappropriate" over time.
During the month of May, the student told deputies, LeClair brought her flowers for a performance at school, attempted to give her Starbucks and Dunkin' giftcards, which she declined, and offered to loan her $100 for her prom ticket, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit also revealed that LeClair messaged the student via Instagram about issues in his marriage, asked her why she was "avoiding" him and that he "never connected with anybody" like he connected with her.
"The text messages did not necessarily cross over into the sexually explicit nature but they were definitely romantic," Maj. Ruben Romero told WPTV's Cassandra Garcia. "He seemed to be pursuing her in a romantic way, believing he was in some sort of relationship with the student and she reported it to her parents, who then contacted the school, and he was terminated for his activities with that student."
LeClair has not been employed by Tradition Preparatory High School since Aug. 22, the school said.
The school released the following statement to WPTV's Michael Hoffman:
We are so proud of the culture and environment we’ve developed at our school which is why it is so disheartening to hear of the allegations and subsequent arrest of a former teacher. We are not at liberty to discuss personnel issues.
Deputies spoke with LeClair on Wednesday when he agreed to meet with them at the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Based on their investigation and the content of the messages, deputies arrested LeClair for inappropriate communication with the student.
LeClair faces a charge of an authority figure soliciting/engaging in a romantic relationship with a student, which is a second degree felony.
He is being held at Martin County Jail on $50,000 bond.
