Kenleigh Prendergast, a 25-year-old South Carolina private school counselor, has been fired after investigators charged her with having sex with a student. She is being accused of having sex with a student at Spartanburg Day School who is 16 or 17 years old.
According to reports, Prendergast admitted to texting, calling, or FaceTiming with the student during the school day and after school hours. Investigators said Prendergast and the unidentified student began meeting outside of school hours at Prendergast’s home and private counseling practice.
She was arrested after the interview and taken to the Spartanburg County jail and was charged with sexual battery with a student with no aggravated force or coercion. The investigation is currently ongoing.
Spartanburg Day School released the following statement in response to Prendergast’s arrest.
“Spartanburg Day School was contacted on March 31 by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and informed that an employee, Kenleigh Prendergast, was charged with sexual battery with a student. Ms. Prendergast was hired in August of 2017 as school counselor. Effective immediately, Ms. Prendergast’s employment with the school has been terminated. SDS puts the safety and wellbeing of our students above all things, and will cooperate fully with the Sheriff’s Office throughout this process.”
Prendergast was hired in August of 2017 as a school counselor at Spartanburg County Day School.
Over the course of just a few months, educators across the country were arrested for entering into an inappropriate relationship with their students, Tennessee teacher Janet Smothers, LaToya Parker, Florida teacher Caroline Lawson, 26-year-old Allyson Moran and Katherine Ross Ridenhour were all arrested on similar charges.
The list goes on to include 22-year-old Oklahoma science teacher Hunter Day, 28-year-old teacher Megan Kotarski, 23-year-old history teacher Michelle Schiffer, 29-year-old Alyssia Marie Reddy, special education teacher Jordan Ondish and 28-year-old Samantha Fitzpatrick have all been allegedly carrying on inappropriate relationships with their students.
In addition, 31-year-old Nicole Marie Andrews, 32-year-old Jessica Langford, 29-year-old Andrea Baber, 27-year-old Robin Dunlap, 27-year-old Jennifer Olajire-Aro have also been charged with these charges.
42-year-old Heather Butts of California was arrested on a second-degree felony charge, Nancy Leigh Ann Brann, a former Christian school teacher, was arrested for having sex with a student, Coine Audiat pleaded no contest to having sex with a minor in 2016 and 23-year-old Darci Lake was arrested for an inappropriate relationship.
