Layton High School's choir director has been removed from the classroom as police continue to look into an alleged relationship with a former student.
Joseph Everton, 62, has been placed on paid administrative leave, said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams.
"Anytime it causes more problems with the person being in the classroom than is warranted, we need to remove that person out of the situation," Williams said. "Not only does it give us time to look into the matter, but it also removes that person from a situation that may become more challenging than first thought."
Layton Police Lt. Quinn Moyes said investigators are looking into Everton's conduct with a now 18-year-old woman who was his student and graduated from Layton High in 2009. He declined to provide any additional details about the allegations brought to police on Sept. 22 by a parent and to district officials about one month prior to that.
The womans mother told KSL-TV that her daughter and Overton eloped to Las Vegas on Sept. 25 and were married. She said she has a rocky relationship with her daughter, who refuses to talk about her relationship with her former teacher.
"Our investigation is active and is ongoing, but until it's concluded, we're not going to release any specifics," Moyes said.
The lieutenant did say that numerous interviews have been conducted with Everton and the former student.
"The focus of our investigation is what activity took place before the student was 18," Moyes said.
The police probe is expected to wrap up this week. Everton has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
The Davis School District is conducting its own parallel investigation to determine whether Everton violated policy or ethical standards, Williams said. He confirmed that the district had heard "rumblings" about Everton's alleged relationship with a former student weeks before police became involved but did not have sufficient evidence to pursue a formal investigation until late September.
Williams said the school district, as a matter of protocol, reports allegations of teacher misconduct to the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Council. He said he could not comment specifically on whether it had forwarded information about the Everton investigation to the council.
Everton has taught in the district since 1978 and at Layton High since 1981. The decision to place him on leave was not made at the request of law enforcement, Williams said.
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