A 40-year-old female psychology teacher at Borah High School admitted to Boise police Thursday that she had sexual contact with a 17-year-old male student earlier this year, according to Ada County prosecutors.
Boise police arrested Michelle Ward Farley Thursday on two charges of sexual battery of a minor between the ages of 16 to 17. Farley was released from the Ada County Jail Friday after posting a $10,000 bond.
Defense attorney Chuck Peterson said during Farley's initial court appearance Friday that she will fight the charges.
Boise police were contacted early Thursday by someone reporting a possible pattern of sexual contact that began in May between Farley and a then 17-year-old boy.
Detectives found evidence of a crime and arrested Farley by 8:30 p.m., according to Boise police reports.
Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Jean Fisher said part of that evidence was Farley's admission to detectives when she was arrested Thursday.
Fisher said Friday the boy was 17 in May when the sexual contact began and is a student at Borah High.
Other details on what led to the arrest - including where the suspected sexual contact occurred - were not disclosed because the case is still under investigation, Boise police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower said Friday.
Police officials did say there were no other victims in connection with the case.
Neither police nor prosecutors have said how the two met or whether the boy was one of Farley's students.
Farley appeared distracted during her initial court appearance Friday, spending much of the five-minute hearing holding her head in her hands and looking down.
Peterson and Farley's husband, who also works for the Boise School District as the principal of Hillside Junior High, left the courtroom without comment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for early January.
The maximum possible penalty for the charge of sexual battery of a minor is life in prison.
Farley, who was hired by the Boise School District in August 1994, currently teaches psychology at Borah High and earns an annual salary of $55,971. She is listed as an active member of the staff, but Friday is the last day of school until Jan. 5.
The Boise School Board will decide if Farley will be placed on administrative leave while her criminal case is pending. But even if she is not put on leave, a magistrate issued a no-contact order Friday which bars Farley from having any unsupervised contact with any kids other than her own.
Boise School District spokesman Dan Hollar said school officials are working closely with police on the case.
You must be logged in to see or use the Shoutbox. Besides, if you haven't registered, you really should. It's quick and it will make your life a little better. Trust me. So just register and make yourself at home with like-minded individuals who share either your morbid curiousity or sense of gallows humor.
Latosha Giles & Tommy Murchison Gave 1MO A Severe Head Injury
