Shirley Smies Charged With Statutory Rape
posted February 21, 2002
Two female Hamilton County School teachers have been placed on administrative leave following an investigation of alleged sexual involvement with a 15-year-old female student, and one has been charged with statutory rape.
Authorities said Shirley Smies, 43, a teacher at Soddy-Daisy High School, turned herself in Thursday afternoon after her indictment by the Hamilton County Grand Jury on Wednesday.
Also involved was Anastasia Chuvala, 31, a physical education teacher at Soddy-Daisy Middle School.
Soddy-Daisy Police said that Sgt. Phil Hamrick, a School Resource Officer at Soddy-Daisy High, was notified by administrators and a parent of "allegations of sexual activity between a student and a teacher."
They said a "concerned teacher had notified the parent of his concerns of changes in behavior in the student over recent weeks and expressed his concerns. The parent also advised of her concerns with the relationship between the student" and Ms. Chuvala.
The student was interviewed on Feb. 12 and "disclosed information pertaining to sexual activity between the student and the teacher over the past several months."
Ms. Smies was summoned by Soddy-Daisy Police that same day and "did reveal information that substantiated the claims of the student and admitted to a progression of contact that led to a sexual relationship between the two."
Det. Sneed testified before the Grand Jury in the Smies case on Monday, officials said.
Ms. Chavula was interviewed Feb. 16 and "advised that she knew the student but denied that any sexual activity took place between the two of them. She did advise that there had been several phone conversations between them and she gave details that some of the conversations contained sexual content that was improper for her to be discussing with the juvenile student."
Police said there is "no evidence at this point that any physical contact took place between the two except what the teacher described as 'hugging' on occasions."
Police said the mother had not approved the relationship with Ms. Chuvala and had told her not to have any further contact with her child. Police said there had been meetings and calls between the student and Ms. Chuvala after the mother's directive.
Police said the district attorney's office is also looking into the Chuvala matter.
County school officials said the leave is with pay pending the outcome of the probe of "alleged misconduct."
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