NEW MADRID - A New Madrid County R-1 school teacher faces charges of rape, sodomy and distribution of a controlled substance.
Rebecca Susan Sharp was taken into custody Monday and charged in Division 2 of New Madrid County Circuit Court with two counts of second degree statutory sodomy, distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and second degree statutory rape. Judge Charles Spitler set bond at $25,000.
Reportedly Sharp was under investigation for being involved with high school-aged students.
A teacher at the R-1 Middle School, Sharp has been employed with the district for 12 years. School officials stated she was removed from her teaching assignment this past weekend after officials were notified by the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department of the pending felony charges.
"As this incident relates to the teacher's standing with the district, Missouri law provides tenured teachers procedural due process rights as it relates to their dismissal. Ms. Sharp will be afforded those rights," said the school district in a news release issued by Dr. Mike Barnes, superintendent, today.
"While these charges issued against Ms. Sharp are not related to her employment as a teacher in the R-1 School District, the district takes the welfare of school-aged children very seriously and will take all necessary steps to protect its student body," the news release added.
In the release, Barnes noted none of the alleged incidents under investigation occurred during school hours or on school property, did not occur while the teacher was acting in any capacity related to her employment with the district, did not involve minors attending the school where Sharp taught and did not involve minors who have ever been students of Sharp.
No arraignment date on the charges was available from the court. Sharp has posted bond and was released.