Oak Creek teacher sex assault case; overheard comments add to probe
OAK CREEK, Wis. - The investigation into a potentially inappropriate relationship between an Oak Creek High School teacher and a student changed when a different teacher overheard comments made by the student months later.
That information stems from a third Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District investigation into former teacher Rachel Goodle. A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge ordered its release after Goodle, 22, sued her former employer twice to block it.
The allegations date back to Dec. 2, 2022. Milwaukee County prosecutors say the English teacher had sex with one of her students inside her classroom before they both attended a junior varsity basketball game.
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The district's first two investigations, obtained by a FOX6 open records request, showed the district's response upon learning of the allegations in January 2023. The investigators found Goodle in violation of the employee handbook, calling her conduct "unacceptable and inappropriate".
"It is very clear that [Goodle] provided numerous inaccurate statements and omitted numerous facts throughout this investigation in what appears to be an attempt to cover up a relationship beyond that of a typical student and a typical teacher," the report said. "Perhaps there is another explanation for her obstruction of the investigation. She has not told us what that might be."
Without concrete evidence, the district settled on a 10-day suspension in Jan. 2023.
Documents show it was reduced to four days, after Goodle met with then-superintendent Dan Unertl. He wrote her back on Feb. 7, 2023.
"I believe you to be sincere in your explanation of what you have learned from this entire situation," Unertl wrote. "I am very hopeful for brighter days ahead..."
Third investigation details police involvement
In May 2023, the school district initiated its third investigation into Goodle.
On May 15, the report said a different teacher overheard an exchange the student yell at a group of girls after class. The teacher said he heard the student yell, "I don't even ******* like you that's why I cheated on you with a teacher."
According to the investigation, the teacher reported it to the dean of students on May 17. The student confirmed the message in a May 18 meeting with two administrators and his parents present.
The report said the school district then reported the student's statements to Oak Creek Police on May 19.
On May 24, School Resource Officer Tim Zwicke and Det. Zachary Case, who was the SRO when this case initiated, interviewed the student at school.
Case told the district that the student "honestly thought he was going to get into big trouble with the school," when asked why he did not disclose what happened in previous meetings with the district or his parents. Once officers told him that would not happen, the report said the student shared his story and said he had sexual intercourse with Goodle.
The investigation said it happened once.
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All of this happened while Goodle was out of the building, according to the investigation.
It said Goodle filed a worker's compensation claim and was out of work since March 2023. The report said Goodle "was deemed unable to return prior to June 10, 2023," which was the end of the school year.
Additionally, it details the end of Goodle's employment at Oak Creek High School.
Rachel Goodle
In June, the investigation said Goodle "failed to return a signed contract" by a June 15 deadline, so the district's school board voted to accept her resignation on June 26.
FOX6 News asked the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District for an interview on its handling of the investigation. The district declined, saying it "was not interested in participating".
Goodle is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on April 4. Her trial is set to begin April 22.