Article Preview: Central Point fires teacher accused of sex act - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-12-29

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Crabbing season finally moving forward       ...       Crater Lake snowed in, access and activities curtailed       ...       Mt. Ashland plans to open today       ...       Crabbing season finally moving forward       ...       Crater Lake snowed in, access and activities curtailed       ...       Mt. Ashland plans to open today       ...           Central Point fires teacher accused of sex act Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Follow @@teresathomas_MT MailTribune.com Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Follow @@teresathomas_MT Posted Dec. 22, 2015 @ 4:22 pm Updated at 4:28 PM Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Follow @@teresathomas_MT Posted Dec. 22, 2015 @ 4:22 pm Updated at 4:28 PM »  Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The Central Point School Board voted unanimously today to fire a Crater High School teacher accused of having sex with an underage student at the school. Jeffrey Zundel , 52, has been on paid administrative leave since being arrested Oct. 26 after school district officials received a sexual misconduct complaint. He was released the next day on $4,000 bail with the condition that he not have contact with the alleged victim, court records show. During an executive session Tuesday morning, the school board reviewed evidence from the district’s own investigation and, in the end, accepted Superintendent Samantha Steele’s recommendation that Zundel’s contract be terminated “for gross neglect of duty and gross unfitness for duty,” a district news release said. Zundel was employed by the Central Point School District from 1986 to 1987 and then again from August 2004 until Tuesday. Most recently, he taught English, world studies and photojournalism at Crater Renaissance Academy. Phone calls Tuesday to Zundel’s defense attorney, Jeni Feinberg, were not immediately returned. Thad Pauck, the local council for the Central Point School District, said the board took disciplinary action based on the district’s investigation and not the court’s findings. “We don’t have anything to do with the prosecution of the criminal charges,” Pauck said. Steele declined to provide any details on district’s investigation. “Per our collective bargaining agreement, when a teacher is disciplined, suspended or dismissed, the district cannot make any formal news releases nor furnish the media with any information beyond what is required by Oregon law,” she said. In the criminal indictment, Zundel is accused of having sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse and sexual contact with a girl under the age of 18 between March 1 and June 9. Earlier this month, Zundel entered not guilty pleas to 12 counts of second and third-degree sexual abuse in Jackson County Circuit Court. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Jan. 11. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Follow @@teresathomas_MT MailTribune.com Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Follow @@teresathomas_MT Posted Dec. 22, 2015 @ 4:22 pm Updated at 4:28 PM » Comment or view comments   Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501