Teacher accused of sex relations with student

Updated: 12/04/2012 5:36 pm | Published: 12/04/2012 5:23 pm

BOUNTIFUL Utah (ABC 4 News) - A science teacher was arrested after being accused of having sex relations with one of his students.

Steve Niedzwiecki taught science and helped with the school's basketball team at Jefferson Academy in Kaysville.

He no longer teachers there according to school officials at Jefferson Academy.

Police say Niedzwiecki was also an assistant coach for the girls basketball team.

"One of his students he started to tutor and she was also on the basketball team," says assistant police Chief Ed Biehler.

But while he was at the school in 2010 Police claim Niedzwiecki and a then 14-year old student became close friends.

The relationship turned inappropriate," says Biehler.

Police say the teacher was having sex with the student at his Bountiful home and at other locations.

"She told a member of the church clergy and that's how we were notified," says Biehler.

But he says the student and teacher never had sex relations at Jefferson Academy where he no longer teaches.

"One of the very most important things is we are committed to the safety of children," says Dr. Jane Mune of the academy. "We're saddened and we feel bad over what happened with a teacher who taught here."

School officials say Niedzwiecki passed a background check and was never a concern.

After leaving the academy in 2011, Niedzwiecki was hired at another charter school Quest Academy in West Haven.