Ex-Chesapeake teacher admits to student relationship

CHESAPEAKE

An assistant principal at Grassfield High School noticed a teacher and female student getting too close about a year ago and did something about it.

The result: Former teacher Peter Brown, 33, pleaded guilty Monday in Circuit Court to indecent liberties with a child.

His sentencing is set for May 18.

School officials have been fired over failing to report incidents in which they knew their employees were involved sexually with students.

Grassfield assistant principal Brian Porter stopped the relationship between Brown and a 17-year-old student before it got to that point, according an account that led to Brown's arrest.

On Feb. 24, court documents revealed, Porter saw Brown and the girl hanging out together in Brown's classroom. They looked, in Porter's words, "overly relaxed."

Porter did not let his suspicions go unchecked. He reviewed classroom cameras and saw a pattern of the two spending time together after school. Four days later, he noticed Brown's classroom door closed and decided to investigate further.

Porter entered Brown's classroom through another room and did not see them. He then walked into an adjoining dark room and found the pair embracing. The girl quickly walked away. Porter caught up to her and noticed her lips were irritated "almost to the point of bleeding."

The girl told authorities that her relationship with Brown, who taught classes in careers and technology, had progressed from conversations to kissing to near intercourse within a few days.

They had earlier in their relationship exchanged explicit photos of each other on their cellphones.

Jeff Hampton, 252-338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com