East Valley teacher makes first court appearance

YAKIMA, Wash. -- With a camera crew from a nationally syndicated news show on hand, an East Valley High School gym teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student made her first court appearance in the case Friday.

Michele Taylor, 31, said nothing in Yakima County Superior Court other than, yes she understood the charges against her — including first-degree sexual misconduct — and that she understood her rights.

She remains on paid administrative leave with a meeting scheduled with the district next week.

Her attorney, Ulvar Klein, reminded Judge Michael McCarthy that his client had earlier filed a not guilty plea with the court, and he asked McCarthy to amend a standard no-contact order prohibiting Taylor from being around children.

Taylor is married and the mother of 5-year-old triplets, Klein told the judge, who readily agreed the order did not include the defendant’s children.
Because Taylor obeyed a summons to appear, the judge also agreed to let her remain free on her own recognizance.

After the hearing ended, Taylor and Klein were pursued from the courtroom by local TV news media as well as a three-person camera crew from the nationally syndicated news show Inside Edition.

Neither Taylor nor Klein stopped to make a statement. She was accompanied to court by a dozen or so supporters, who had been warned by Klein to be aware of the media.

Taylor, a physical education teacher at East Valley High School since 2004, is charged with first-degree sexual misconduct for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old male student in the back of her truck outside the Yakima Kmart store.

Her husband, Kevin Taylor, is also a physical education teacher in the East Valley School District.

Although the age of consent in Washington is 16, sexual contact with students 16 or older is considered misconduct, rather than rape, under state law.

Taylor is also charged with two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Authorities allege she exchanged more than 400 text messages with the 16-year-old and a 15-year-old student between March and June.

Taylor, whose case has sparked complaints about double standards, was placed on paid leave in June after school officials learned of the allegations and informed the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

The complaints cut both ways. Her supporters say her case is being sensationalized because she is a woman, while others question whether she avoided arrest for the very same reason.

As proof, they point to the arrest of a male Mabton basketball coach last year on the same charge.

Michael Patterson, an attorney for the East Valley School district, said Taylor will meet with district officials Wednesday for a “due process meeting.”

He said the meeting is designed to give Taylor an opportunity to respond to the allegations, but anticipates her attorney will advise her to remain silent.“After that, we will be prepared to give her a probable cause letter, which starts the dismissal process,” Patterson said.

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or at cbristol@yakimaherald.com