MINNEOLA, Fla. – The Lake Minneola High School principal will not be charged for apparently
moving too slow to report an alleged inappropriate relationship between her band director
and a male student.
Linda Shepherd-Miller had learned from a parent in mid-June that Jon North, one of the
school’s teachers and band director, possibly had a relationship with a student, according to
a letter released Friday by Walter Forgie, supervisor of the State Attorney’s Office in Lake County.
Due to Shepherd-Miller being the principal, school policy required her to report her suspicions
immediately.
However, she didn’t report the incident to the Lake County Schools until July 18, one day
after confirming the sexual relationship with North and the student, a student who initially
said he had fabricated the allegations.
But the letter added that until July 17, the only evidence known to Shepherd-Miller was based
upon uncorroborated hearsay statements and copies of Facebook conversations between the
victim and his friends wherein the victim explicitly said he fabricated prior statements he made
regarding inappropriate conduct.
“There is insufficient evidence to prove that Shepherd-Miller had reasonable cause to suspect child
abuse based solely on the report from (the parent who initially contacted her),” the letter added.
Shepherd-Miller notified the Department of Children and Families on July 19.
The student, aged between 16 and 18, apparently had oral sex with North in a school closet.
North, 32, immediately resigned after confirming the allegations. He was arrested July 19 on
five counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor and has been released on $25,000 bond.
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