Teacher Remains on Payroll After Kisisng Student, Pleading No-Contest to Battery

Some parents are "outraged" that he's still on payroll, and others also question why a Lee County teacher isn't behind bars after admitting to kissing a student in class.

Johnathan Blikstad pleaded no-contest to battery Monday.  

In February 2016, Blikstad admitted in a letter to the district's professional standards investigator that he kissed a student on her neck in class. Blikstad was suspended for three days without pay for the offense but was subsequently allowed to come back and teach.

Since returning from that suspension in March 2016, Blikstad has been teaching math at East Lee County High School.

Within the last two weeks, Lee County has removed Blikstad from the classroom, however, he remains on payroll under the school district and has been transferred to a "curriculum development" desk job at headquarters.  

Parents say the way the district handled Blikstad's punishment was wrong all the way around.


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