Florida Educator is Reprimanded After Forcing Students to Massage Their Feet.
Dr. Keiva Lark, 53, an assistant principal at a middle school in Florida, is in hot water following an alleged inappropriate action with a student, in which she forced the minor to massage her feet.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Lark has been charged with lewd/lascivious conduct and lewd offense against a student by an authority figure.
Deputies say the 13-year-old student was sent to Lark’s office for throwing balls of paper across a classroom.
While in the office, Lark demanded the preteen rub her feet “since he didn’t have anything better to do with his hands.” According to reports, she then took off her shoes and placed her legs across the boy’s lap.
“It’s completely inappropriate for a 53-year-old woman to act and talk like this to a middle school boy. It’s even worse given that this was an assistant principal and her student,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
The sheriff said Lark later admitted that her actions were inappropriate, but she denied saying anything improper to the student.
“This is abhorrent behavior for anyone who works among students, especially an administrator. This person no longer has any business being around children,” Heid said in a statement. “We commend the school principal for immediately reporting this incident, so we could take action and work with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to protect students.”
Lark was placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said Lark has “no business” being around children anymore.
