A Lincoln High School teacher placed on leave will be arraigned Sept. 8 on molestation charges in an Auburn courtroom, according to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.

Chancy Thomas Leavell has not been arrested and has been given an arraignment date of Sept. 8 in Dept. 13 of the Auburn jail courtroom, according to Art Campos, public information officer for the District Attorney’s Office last Thursday.

The single charge against Leavell is annoy or molest a child under the age of 18, and is being charged as a misdemeanor, according to Campos.

Leavell, 32, taught agricultural biology at the Lincoln High School farm.

Western Placer Unified School District Scott Leaman said Leavell has been on “administrative leave since March pending the investigation outcome about the allegations.”

On March 15, an unnamed Lincoln High School teacher was placed on administrative leave for allegations about an incident involving inappropriate behavior with a Western Placer Unified School District high school female student, according to previous News Messenger reports.

Leaman would not name the teacher then, stating “they are allegations at this point and allegations deserve a thorough investigation.”

In a weekly crime summary report released by the Lincoln Police Department for the week ending March 13, two offenses occurred on Dec. 1 involving sexual battery and annoy child under 18.

In the April 1 News Messenger report, “Teacher accused of sexual battery,” both offenses are related to Leaman’s statement about the teacher’s leave of absence, according to Lincoln Police Lt. David Ibarra.

“It did not occur at the school,” Ibarra said in that article. “I can’t release the names or give details because it is under investigation.”

The Lincoln Police Department filed a report April 7 with the Placer County DA’s Office, asking that charges be filed against the teacher.

It took 4 1/2 months for a decision to be made by the District Attorney’s Office as to whether charges would be filed, according to Campos, “since the DA needed to examine and investigate the case.”

Leaman gave The News Messenger a press release Friday, stating that the district “has placed Chant Leavell on leave as of today after being informed by the Placer County District Attorney’s office that the teacher has been charged with a crime that requires the district to immediately place the teacher on mandatory leave of absence.”

According to Leaman, state law requires a teacher to be placed on mandatory leave “whenever a teacher is charged with a defined sex offense” and that the duration of the leave “is required to be for a time of not more than 10 days after any entry of judgment in the proceedings.”

Leaman said the district is referring all other inquiries to the Lincoln Police Department and to the Placer County District Attorney’s office.

The News Messenger called Lincoln High School Principal Dave Butler to ask about the charges filed against Leavell and if any campus policies have changed, as a result.

“I have no comment,” Butler said. “I have been instructed to have you call the district office with any questions.”

The News Messenger asked parents and students Tuesday about the charges filed against Leavell.

“That’s crazy. I think it’s disgusting and scary,” parent Lynn Johnson said. “It’s weird and shocking because nothing ever happens in Lincoln. Lincoln is a safe place to be for kids and that’s the way we want to keep it.”

Johnson, who has a sophomore at Lincoln High school, said she’d reserve her judgment about Leavell until a verdict is reached in the case. She “second guesses” rumors she hears, waiting “until proof and evidence” are given.

Parent David Gretler had similar sentiments.

“I don’t like it. That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I don’t approve of that at all,” Gretler said. While he said the district should put Leavell on leave, Gretler said Leavell is “innocent until proven guilty.”

“It’s sick. Why would someone do that,” junior Kylie Gretler, 15, said. “It’s weird.”