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Rumors Of Teacher-Student Affair Had Reached Principal

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 25, 2007

TAMPA - The Middleton High School principal had heard talk of an affair between a 16-year-old boy and a now-suspended teacher but thought it was just a rumor, a school district spokesman said today.

Christina Lin Butler

Tampa police on Tuesday charged the teacher, Christina Lin Butler, 33, with felony lewd and lascivious battery after pulling over the 16-year-old driving Butler's Jeep Grand Cherokee erratically on North 22nd Street.

A friend with the teenager hinted to police about a relationship between Butler and the boy during the traffic stop, police said. When officers confronted Butler, she confirmed the relationship, police said.

Investigators said Butler and the ninth-grader had oral sex and intercourse at Butler's home at 3504 N. Tampa St. during the past three weeks.

Word of a relationship reached Principal Carl C. Green before the arrest, but Green, unable to substantiate the allegations, thought the matter was a rumor, school district spokesman Steve Hegarty said today.

At one point, Green suspended a teenage girl for continuing to talk about it, Hegarty said.

Green is out of town today and could not be reached. Hegarty was gathering additional details about the situation, such as how long the suspension lasted.

Hegarty said the teenage girl, who was interested in the 16-year-old boy, had been overheard talking about his relationship with Butler.

The girl's comments were brought to Green's attention. Green interviewed the boy and Butler separately, and each denied a relationship, Hegarty said.

"The principal thinks he has a rumor on his hands," Hegarty said. "The teacher is very upset and called the teacher's union."

Hegarty said Butler apparently called the union for advice but had not taken any official action.

The teenage girl continued to make comments about a relationship, Hegarty said. So the school suspended her "pending a conference," meaning she was suspended until a formal discussion between the administration and a parent or guardian, he said.

A former substitute teacher, Butler began working full-time at Middleton in August, Hegarty said. She is classified as a special-education teacher, but she does not work with severely disabled students. She had several classes of 15 to 20 students who follow the regular curriculum but need tutoring, he said.

After her arrest, Butler posted $7,500 bail and was released from a Hillsborough County jail, records show.

She is suspended with pay until the school board can meet to determine her employment status, Hegarty said. The school board's next meeting will be Nov. 6.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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