Documents show teacher accused of inappropriate texts with students prior to arrest

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates discovered a Polk County teacher arrested on charges she had sex with a student resigned from her job at the Orange Count School District after an investigation in 2008 into accusations she was inappropriately texting students.

Jennifer Fichter taught at Robinswood Middle School in Orange County from 2007 to 2008. Channel 9's Kathi Belich uncovered records that show she was accused of inappropriately communicating with a student there

The Orange County District said it contacted both law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, but no charges were filed.

The new records show the 29-year-old allowed students to hang out in her Robinswood classroom without permission, and that she told another teacher that an eighth-grade student made her melt and that she dreamed about him.

Fichter appeared in court in Polk County on Wednesday on charges relating to her admitted affair with a 17-year-old student in Lakeland.

According to school district records obtained by Channel 9, Fichter gave district administrators inconsistent answers to questions about allegations at Robinswood six years ago that she "loved" an eighth-grade student and wanted to "smash" him, which the documents said refers to having sex.

The records show Fichter's sister texted students telling them not to say anything when the district started to investigate.

Orange County suspended Fichter with pay, then without pay before she eventually resigned.

Three years later in 2012 Fichter was teaching in Polk County and denied in a recorded statement to detectives that she had an inappropriate relationship with a student there during the summer.

The two were allegedly communicating on Facebook, and she met the boy and three other students at a restaurant.

"There was never any sexual talk? There was no touching or anything like that?" the detective asked.

"No," said Fichter.

She was given a warning back then by Polk authorities, Belich said.

Belich asked Polk County Schools on Friday whether they had taken a look at Fichter's records in Orange County before they hired her.  The human resources director would only say the school board is investigating.

WFTV