The board of education has refused to renew the contract of a first year science teacher who is accused of sexual activity with a 16 year old female student. He faces up to five years in prison for the third degree felony charge.

On Wednesday Schools Superindent Ron Iarussi said that the first-year teachers are only probationary employees and their contract may not be renewed without furnishing a reason for doing so. The authorities were reportedly tipped about th incident anonymously and then referred it to Children Services. In an interview with the Children Services the girl admitted to having a sexual relationship with Joseph Neiheisl and said they kept in touch with each other through cell phone text messages.

Joseph Neiheisl, 26, from Cherry Fork Road, Leetonia, was secretly indicted some weeks ago by a Columbiana County grand jury because of an alleged relationship with a 16 year old female student also involving sexual battery. According to reports consensual sex between the two happened only once but Ohio law states that if Nieheisl is convicted he may face up to five years in prison, $15,000 in fine and a loss of his teaching certificate. The alleged sexual conduct took place at the house of Neiheisl’s relative in Columbiana. The girl is still a student in the school and has agreed to cooperate in the case.

There has been a spate of news related to the alleged sexual involvement of teachers with their students in the recent past. High school teacher Tamara Hoffman was charged with having a love triangle with two of her students which resulted in the death of one.

Mellissa Huckaby allegedly raped and murdered 8 year old Sandra Cantu, a student in her Sunday School. There were also other reports of statutory rape and convictions related to school sex scandals in the recent weeks.