Missouri teacher groomed middle school boys for sex, lawsuit alleges

Lawsuits have been filed against a former Missouri middle school teacher accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with three students, sometimes in the school where she worked.

Amanda Schweitzer, 37, and the Joplin School District are named as defendants in the two lawsuits, according to the Joplin Globe.

The lawsuit against the district, filed late last month, shed light on details of the sexual misconduct allegations.

The incidents described involve three students from Joplin’s North Middle School. All of the teen boys were younger than 15, according to Fox News.

Schweitzer allegedly attempted to groom the three students, attempting to engage in sexual activity with them, the lawsuit alleges.

In one incident, Schweitzer “nibbled on (a student’s) ear” and ran her hand through his hair, the suit alleges. She later contacted him on social media to ask “if he enjoyed it.”

When that student blocked her communications, she allegedly had sex twice with another minor in the spring of 2017. She also allegedly had unspecified “sexual misconduct” with him in her classroom, the Globe reported.

Finally, she “engaged in unwanted sexual touching” with a third student around the same time, the lawsuit alleges.

Schweitzer is charged in Jasper and Newton counties with child kidnapping, two counts of statutory rape and statutory sodomy.

Jury trials are set for February and April for Schweitzer’s criminal charges.

This story was originally published January 11, 2018 at 8:25 AM with the headline "Missouri teacher groomed middle school boys for sex, lawsuit alleges."