Graham Teacher Accused Of Sexual Misconduct With IEP Student

GRAHAM, WA — A 49-year-old para-educator at Graham Kapowsin High School is accused of sexual misconduct involving one of the 17-year-old students she oversaw in her Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Wendy Lynn Wagoner was arraigned Thursday in a Pierce County court. She faces charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes — both of which are class C felonies.

According to court documents obtained by Patch, the misconduct occurred between March 8 and April 22, though the pair were seen together as recently as May 2, despite directions from law enforcement not to contact or communicate with each other.

The school initiated its own investigation April 19 after another employee saw the victim kiss Wagoner. When she was notified of the investigation, Wagoner reportedly resigned on her own, later texting the victim: "I quit my job to protect you."

When first questioned by authorities, both Wagoner and the victim denied having a personal relationship and maintained they were just friends. Later, the victim admitted to texting Wagoner sexually explicit messages and to kissing her, telling police, "She is my everything."

The boy also told police he and Wagoner would begin their future together once he turned 18 years old.

When questioned, Wagoner admitted to "sexting" with her student, adding that she knew what she was doing was wrong "because it was inappropriate, and he is a minor," court documents show.

After collecting both the victim's and Wagoner's phones, detectives discovered numerous text message exchanges sent and received between March 8 and April 22 that described a variety of extremely graphic sexual scenarios. The exchanges reportedly took place at all hours, including while both were at school.

Text messages appear to intimate the pair had sex, but both the victim and Wagoner denied this occurred when confronted by police.

Additional discoveries on the victim's phone include searches for "the penalty for teacher and student relationship" and "state of washington consent for sex," court documents show.

After discovering the texts, police interviewed Wagoner again. During the second interview, Wagoner told detectives, "I knew what I was doing was wrong and I'm beating myself up really bad right now."

Police advised Wagoner not to contact the victim again but later learned the pair were still talking using other family members' phones, court documents show. Then a neighbor spotted the two hugging on May 2.

Wagoner has a pre-trial conference scheduled for May 21, with a jury trial set to begin June 27.