Teacher's Past Could Determine His Future at Freedom High School

Whether Freedom High School teacher Jeffrey Shank will be permitted to return to work is still unknown.

School officials placed Shank on leave Oct. 12 and are currently trying to determine whether he fully disclosed why his contract was not renewed at Gulf High School in Pasco County last year, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Shank lost his job at Gulf after school officials discovered he sent late-night texts of a sexual nature to a female student, the Times reported.

Shank, who expressed regret over the scandal, insisted to the Tampa Bay Times that he was truthful to Freedom High School when interviewed for the job over the summer. The Hillsborough County School District is saying otherwise.

A district spokeswoman also told TBO.com Pasco County should have -- but did not -- disclose to the state Department of Education what Shank had done. The district is also trying to determine whether Pasco ever communicated to Hillsborough why Shank was let go.

Shank's past came to light when Freedom students saw accounts of Shank's scandal online, according to TBO.