Lower Merion teacher fired for affair with student

LOWER MERION, Pa. - January 25, 2011 (WPVI) -- A school district on the Main Line has fired a teacher who is accused of having an affair with a student five years ago, and not everyone believes it was the right thing to do.

The Lower Merion School Board voted unanimously to terminate Robert Schanne for allegedly having an affair with a female student about five years ago.

Some parents and teachers feel the punishment was too harsh - that Schanne could have been disciplined years ago, perhaps in a less severe way, avoiding the loss of such an outstanding science teacher.

"I would just like to say he is the best teacher we had out there for this subject," said Lower Merion Senior Nate Diehl.

Diehl was among a handful of students and parents who attended last night's school board meeting in support of 43-year-old Robert Schanne. A science teacher at Lower Merion High School since 1997, Schanne was suspended with pay in December. Diehl told the board his advanced placement physics class just hasn't been the same.

Diehl tells Action News, "[Schanne] definitely was the best teacher for the subject. And him leaving, it kind of... messed us up a little bit - threw us off track."

Earlier this month, the district emailed a letter to parents detailing the alleged "dating relationship" with an 18-year-old female student more than five years ago. The district claims it only learned of the alleged affair last month and then suspended the award-winning teacher.

Lower Merion parent Judy Diehl says, "He obviously made a poor decision. I think that whatever happened five years ago, I doubt if it went under the radar at the time. I think that there were probably cooler heads that could have prevailed."

District officials declined to comment on camera but in a statement they described Schanne's behavior as unacceptable, stating it won't be tolerated. Schanne's former students believe it's their science education that will now suffer.

Michael Lefkoe, a student at Lower Merion High School, says of Schanne: "He always uses hands on activities to show us how natural phenomenon work, in addition to just showing us how to do work. He's always there to help us."

Schanne is a graduate of both Villanova University and The University of Pennsylvania. Action News was not able to reach him or his attorney.

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