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Lawrence North Teacher Suspended Over Facebook Message To Student

Last updated on Tuesday, October 13, 2015

(INDIANAPOLIS) - A local science teacher has had his license suspended for his alleged behavior with a Lawrence North High School student. The girl’s mother reportedly uncovered the behavior while monitoring her daughter’s Facebook page.

WTHR reports an administrative law judge heard this case and has now suspended the teaching license of science teacher David Dick. It's a two-year suspension for Dick, meaning he will not be allowed in the classroom anywhere in the state for that time period. Dick resigned from his job in February 2015 after working at the high school for 25 years. He taught earth and space science, astronomy, physical science, AP geology and was in charge of running the school's planetarium.

The mother of a 15-year-old girl alerted Lawrence North school officials last school year after reading her daughter's Facebook messages. She reportedly found inappropriate messages between science teacher David Dick and her daughter.

The teachers messages allegedly included, "I will do anything for you" and "I love you girl."

He reportedly also failed to report to authorities messages from the girl about students eating marijuana brownies at school.

The judge ruled the messages from the teacher in this case as "misconduct."

The girl's mother, who we are not identifying to protect her daughter, hopes other parents are checking their kids' social media activity, especially with teachers.

"It's our responsibility as parents. It might be in your living room and you can look at her and see that she is on Facebook. You don't know what people are saying to her; who it is. How are they contacting her? Private messages as this teacher was doing. You don't know. It's our job. Don't assume they are safe because they are at school," said the girl's mother.

Right now, according to the student's mother, the school district does not have a clear-cut policy about what teachers can and cannot do on social media with students.

Either way, David Dick's Indiana teacher's license is suspended for at two years. He is currently working at Arsenal Tech High School.

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