Mendham Teacher Indicted for Sex With Student Keeps Job, Loses Pay

More than two months after her arrest for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student, a Mendham High School English teacher remains suspended by the West Morris Regional High School District, but has lost her pay.

Nicole McDonough, 32, of Mt. Olive, was arrested by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 30 and charged with official misconduct for allegedly having a three-day tryst with a male student in the spring of 2014.

At the time of her arrest, McDonough was suspended by the regional district with pay. At the district’s board of education meeting Monday night at West Morris Central High School, a measure was unanimously approved to keep McDonough on suspension but without pay, effective immediately.

See related stories:

• Prosecutor: Mendham High School School Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student
• Mendham Teacher Accused of Having Sex With Student Pleads Not Guilty
• Mendham Teacher, Student Had 3-Day Tryst, Complaint Says
• Prosecutor: Mendham High School Teacher Had Improper Relationships With 3 Students

After pleading not guilty and refusing to take a plea deal, McDonough’s case was sent to a grand jury, which returned an indictment earlier this month of three counts of official misconduct.

Authorities received information that McDonough, who has been teaching at Mendham since April 2013, allegedly engaged in improper relationships with male students, Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said.

An investigation revealed McDonough had improper communication and “impermissible fraternization” with the students, including an alleged physical relationship with one of the three male students. All three students were 18 at the time of the alleged relationships, Knapp noted.

One of the relationships took place in April, May, and June of 2013, while the other two relationships took place in April, May, and June of 2014, Knapp said.

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