A Florida private school principal is accused of sexually abusing a male student who opened up to her about family issues, according to a local news report.
Tracy Smith, 43, was the head of Xceed Preparatory Academy in Coral Springs, Florida, when she allegedly began a sexual relationship with a student, according to CBS Miami, which cited her arrest report.
The student asked for help and began studying and taking tests in her office in October, according to CBS Miami.
He reportedly talked to her about his family issues, and she told him about her personal issues.
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The two grew close, and he viewed her as a mother figure, the victim told police, CBS Miami reported.
The student reportedly told police when Smith allegedly began touching him during study sessions it was “comforting” at first, but the longer it went on, the more he became uncomfortable, according to CBS Miami.
He allegedly told police he felt “guilty,” and his school work suffered from Smith’s alleged actions.
Brian Bieber, an attorney representing the school, said in a statement to the media that the allegations came as a surprise.
Smith worked at Xceed almost three years and was an educator for nearly 20 years, according to Bieber. Her charity work has also earned local awards for outstanding philanthropic service.
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Smith has since been fired, according to Bieber.
“The allegations resulting in Ms. Smith’s arrest yesterday came as a complete shock to everyone at the school. The school and its staff will cooperate with law enforcement in every way possible. A safe learning environment is paramount at XCEED — with no exceptions,” Bieber said in the statement.
Smith was released on $25,000 bond after a court appearance Tuesday and ordered not to have any contact with the victim or any minors outside of her family, and she is not permitted to return to the school, according to NBC Miami.
Smith talked about the support of her family and extended family, which includes a husband and three children, in a 2020 Q&A on Medium.com.
Smith’s information on the school’s website has been taken down, but the webpage is still active.
The site says, “Page not found … We’re sorry, but the page you requested could not be found.”
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