Former teacher jailed for indecent liberties with student

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — School is supposed to be the one place parents know their child is safe, but for the second time in two weeks a teacher with ties to New Hanover County Schools has been accused of inappropriate behavior with a student.

After a joint investigation between the Wilmington Police Department, the FBI and US Marshals, former Roland-Grise Middle School math and science teacher April Schaefer was arrested on charges of indecent liberties with a child, felony indecent liberties with a student, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and disseminating obscene material to a minor.

“The charges in this case are severe, and we certainly wanted to level charges that are consistent with our evidence that would certainly remove this person from the ability to be employed at a school to predate on children for the rest of our life,” WPD Sgt. Thomas Tilman said.

Schaefer has not been employed full time at Roland-Grise since 2011, but she has subbed there at least once or twice a month over the past year, said New Hanover County Schools spokeswoman Valita Quattlebaum.

"Any students at Roland-Grise Middle School or that attended Roland-Grise Middle School that knew the suspect in this case, April Schaefer, or had her as a teacher, if they had anything they felt was inappropriate, I would like them to come forward and call my office,” Sgt. Tilman said.

At a first court appearance this afternoon, a judge set Schaefer’s bond at $500,000, and Schaefer indicated that she would not post bail.

An assistant district attorney indicated that there is a chance this case is moved into federal court due to some material being exchanged via the internet.