An assistant principal in Florida is currently on administrative leave for reportedly asking a student to rub her feet and making inappropriate comments towards him, as per the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Dr. Keiva Lark, aged 53, who works at Lake Marion Creek Middle School in Poinciana, is facing charges of lewd/lascivious conduct and lewd offense against a student by an authority figure. The school principal brought the incident to the attention of the sheriff’s office on April 4.
The incident occurred when a 13-year-old male student was sent to Lark’s office for throwing a balled-up piece of paper in the classroom during a test.
While in her office, Lark told him to rub her feet since he didn’t have anything better to do with his hands, two witnesses and the victim told the sheriff’s office. She then allegedly took off her shoes and put her legs across the boy’s lap.
While conducting a forensic interview with the victim, he told authorities that Lark has called him “Sexy Chocolate” in the hallway at school.
“Dr. Lark initially told detectives that this was only a joke, and that she was just trying to humble the victim. It’s completely inappropriate for a 53-year old woman to act and talk like this to a middle school boy. It’s even worse given that this was an assistant principal and her student,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Lark’s behavior, while she described it as a joke, was “completely inappropriate” and her position as the victim’s assistant principal was “even worse.” (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
The sheriff’s office said Lark admitted that she acted inappropriately for her profession, but that she did not say anything inappropriate to the victim.
The Polk County School Board and the Florida Department of Children and Families were notified of the incident, and Lark was placed on administrative leave.
“This is abhorrent behavior for anyone who works among students, especially an administrator. This person no longer has any business being around children. We commend the school principal for immediately reporting this incident, so we could take action and work with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to protect students,” Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said.
