University Heights -- Wiley Middle School teacher Christopher Thomas has been placed on administrative leave while police investigate a possible inappropriate relationship between him and a female student.
Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District officials said police told them Thomas could be charged Thursday with sexual battery.
Superintendent Douglas Heuer said the district has had no problems with Thomas, 30, since he joined the district in the 2007-2008 school year. He taught mathematics and social studies last year and social studies this year.
University Heights police directed all questions to Eastlake Police because Thomas is an Eastlake resident.
Eastlake Det. Chris Bowersock declined to comment Wednesday night.
Heuer said he was told the student's parents learned of the relationship from their daughter over the weekend and then contacted police. Officers came to Wiley late Tuesday to talk to Thomas, he said, and Thomas left with them voluntarily and not in handcuffs.
District parents received an automated telephone message about the arrest Wednesday. Heuer said the district will send a letter to parents today but could not on Wednesday because of the Veterans day holiday.
He said the district will help the student and her family as much as it can and will conduct its own investigation to determine its own discipline and to prevent future problems.
"If the allegation prove to be true, it's just a terrible set of circumstances," he said. "We'll do everything that we can to insure that this will never happen again."