IOWA CITY - Police in Iowa City arrested a woman for reportedly having sex with a minor. According to police, Colleen Solberg had sex with a 17-year-old. Solberg worked with the teenager at West High School in Iowa City.
Solberg allegedly confessed to the crime. According to police reports, Solberg says she knew she "crossed a line" by having sex with him. KCRG-TV 9 went to Solberg's home, but no one answered the door.
The relationship reportedly started with Solberg passing notes and poems to the student in class. Iowa City Police Sergeant Troy Kelsay said, “There were innocent notes, if you were, that didn't rise to the level of any criminal violation."
It was not until the summer, after the teen had dropped out of school, that he and Solberg reportedly had a sexual relationship. Kelsay says while passing notes is not necessarily illegal, the sex acts crossed the line. As for the school district, passing notes is going too far. Superintendent Lane Plugge said, “You are expected as a staff member working with students of certain behaviors."
Solberg allegedly gave the student a cell phone. The district suspended her when it first heard from police in November. Solberg was fired five days later. Plugge said, “Our expectations for all people in the Iowa City Community School District is they conduct themselves in a professional manner."
The district believes Solberg did not act professionally or ethically. She was fired long before the police filed criminal charges.
If convicted, Solberg faces one year in prison. Kelsay says the charges could have been tougher if the young man was still a student when the two had sex.
KCRG
Note from Gag: What teacher passes notes to her kids? Kind of odd if you ask me...
