East Valley P.E. teacher faces charges of having sex with student

YAKIMA, Wash. — An East Valley teacher faces criminal charges over allegations that she had sex with a 16-year-old male student in the Kmart parking lot and sent a suggestive photo to another boy.

Michele Taylor, 31, of Yakima is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 16 in Yakima County Superior Court on one count of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Sexual contact with students 16 or older is considered misconduct, rather than rape, under state law.

Taylor, a physical education teacher at East Valley High School who has worked for the school district since 2004, was placed on administrative leave June 9 when the district learned of the allegations and informed the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives started an investigation.

Taylor’s husband is also a physical education teacher for the district.

East Valley superintendent John Schieche declined to comment on the case Thursday. He referred calls to Seattle attorney Michael Patterson, who said the district’s internal investigation continues.

“What we’re looking at is whether there has been professional misconduct and whether there are grounds for discipline or termination,” Patterson said.

“We’re looking at determining the credibility of these allegations, and in fact, if they are credible, in all probability that will lead to her termination.”

According to a detective’s report filed to support the charges, Taylor exchanged more than 400 text messages by phone with the two boys — ages 15 and 16 — from March to June.

In the messages, she said she found the boys attractive, including one comment that the younger boy would be “her type” if she was in high school, according to the sheriff’s report.

The younger boy said she raised the possibility of sending him a nude photo, then sent another suggestive photo of herself at a party.

The 16-year-old said he received only one phone call from Taylor. She arranged to meet him in May at the Kmart parking lot off State Route 24, where the boy said they had sex in the back of her truck.
 
Patterson said the school district’s investigation has been delayed because Taylor has not met with him on the advice of her criminal attorney.

He said Taylor had received training about avoiding inappropriate contact with students.

A message left at Taylor’s house was not immediately returned.