Lenoir teacher faces student charge
LENOIR CITY - A Lenoir City Middle School teacher
faces a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of
a student.
Lisa Hoffmeister, 37, was charged in January with failing to report child abuse. Authorities said she told school officials a 14-year-old girl had complained of abuse at home but that she never reported the girl's story to the state Department of Children's Services as required by law. School officials told Hoffmeister to have no more contact with the girl, but a deputy stopped Hoffmeister with the girl in her car Thursday night, Loudon County Sheriff Tim Guider said. The officer found them pulled over between two cars at Toad's, a salvage yard off Sticky Creek Road outside Loudon, around 10:30 p.m., the sheriff said. "They were just sitting there talking," Guider said. "The officer will charge her with contributing to the delinquency of a minor." Hoffmeister's lawyer, Gregory P. Isaacs, said she's done nothing wrong. "Lisa Hoffmeister is a respected teacher who has made a significant effort to help this minor child," he said. Hoffmeister's status with the city school system wasn't immediately clear.
Lenoir City teacher
arrested for the second time
By JILL MCNEAL
6 News Anchor/Reporter LENOIR CITY (WATE) -- A middle school science teacher and soccer coach is put behind bars for the second time. 37-year-old Lisa Hoffmeister was arrested Friday and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Back in February, she was arrested and charged with failure to report child abuse. Hoffmeister has been a teacher at Lenoir City Middle School for six years. She was first arrested in February, after allegedly telling the principal that a 14-year-old female student was being physically abused at home, but not calling DCS. Hoffmeister was released on bond and ordered to have no contact with the girl in question. She was rearrested after the two were found together in Hoffmeister's parked van Thursday night, past the state-mandated curfew for minors. A parent who didn't want to go on camera tells 6 News Hoffmeister did a great job in her first year as soccer coach. She even kept a blog about her team, complete with game photos and detail about great plays. The parent says Hoffmeister was close to all the girls, but too close to one of them. Hoffmeister was released from the Loudon County jail Friday night on $5,000 bond. The Lenoir City Schools Superintendent says he is aware of an inappropriate relationship between the teacher and student, not necessarily sexual. Wayne Miller says Hoffmeister was suspended for 30 days without pay after her first arrest. He says he plans to vigorously pursue stronger disciplinary action this time, up to and including termination. Miller adds that an investigation into whether the girl was being abused at home found Hoffmeister's claim was unfounded. |