Authorities arrest Kelseyville High music teacher for relationship with female student
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Authorities have arrested Kelseyville High School’s music teacher for having a relationship with a female student.
Cory Michael Cunningham, 38, of Kelseyville, was arrested on Friday night, according to Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The Kelseyville Unified School District is taking its own action in the case, according to Assistant Superintendent Tim Gill.
“We’re initiating an internal investigation immediately,” Gill told Lake County News on Saturday. “That will be a separate process than the investigation by the sheriff’s department.”
Gill added that, due to the circumstances, he couldn’t offer further comment on either investigation.
Paulich said that at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Kelseyville High School for a report of a teacher possibly having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old female student.
At the school, deputies contacted Cunningham, who Paulich said admitted to having an intimate relationship with the female student for the past several months.
Cunningham denied ever having sexual intercourse with the student, Paulich said.
Deputies arrested Cunningham, who Paulich said was booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of sending lewd material to a minor, genital penetration by foreign object, annoying or molesting a child, willful cruelty to a child, and destroying or concealing evidence.
Cunningham remained in custody on Saturday with bail set at $75,000. Jail records indicate he is to be arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Gill said Cunningham has been placed on administrative leave and was notified of that action. That’s a standard district response due to the criminal nature of the charges.
Adding to the sensitive and complex nature of the case is the fact that Cunningham is married to the niece of district Superintendent Dave McQueen, and so Gill has been delegated to respond to questions about the case because of that family connection.
However, McQueen did speak to the situation in a statement released by the district earlier on Saturday, explaining that Kelseyville Unified’s first priority is to safeguard students.
“We will inform KHS students this week that their teacher will remain out of the classroom until this matter is resolved, and we have put our counselors on notice in case any students need extra support,” McQueen said.
“This is a legal matter, so we are collaborating with our legal counsel and local law enforcement,” McQueen said. “We understand that people are curious about the details of the case; however, we will not share information that may jeopardize the legal investigation or compromise anyone’s right to privacy and/or due process.”
McQueen said Kelseyville is a small, close-knit community and having a teacher arrested on such allegations can bring up a range of difficult emotions for students and the community.
“Rumors and public speculation are not helpful and can be harmful,” McQueen said.
Cunningham became Kelseyville High School’s full-time music teacher in August 2018, Gill said.
In that capacity, he introduced a mariachi band, and traveled with smaller high school music groups – such as the jazz band and choir – to out-of-county events, according to a district website post.
He also continued to perform as a musician himself, according to the district website and social media posts.
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