Shaker Heights Schools employee charged with child sex abuse in Washington, D.C. court

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - Shaker Heights City School District announced on Saturday that a library media specialist at Onaway Elementary School was charged with felony child sex abuse.

Court records show Joan L. Meyer, 45, was arraigned in Washington D.C. on Friday.

She is accused of crimes that began in 2009. Police allege Meyer engaged in a sexual act with a teenage boy who was her student at Two Rivers Public Charter School in a filed affidavit.

Shaker Heights City School District affirms none of the allegations took place during Meyer’s 16 months at Onaway Elementary. She began employment there in August of 2019, according to a statement. Meyer is currently on paid administrative leave.

A 24-year-old man, claiming to be a victim of Meyer, reached out to her employer in June of 2019, records show. The man emailed the principal of a school she previously worked at and said she abused him 10 years prior, when he was 14.

The complainant told police the sexual acts began while he was a junior high student at Two Rivers and continued until he was 19 years old, according to court documents.

The principal, who is a mandatory reporter, contacted the Child and Family Services Agency Hotline to report the alleged abuse, police explain in the records.

Court records reveal Meyer was investigated for allegedly sexual abusing the complainant twice before. Both investigations were closed as unfounded, with no charges filed.

Meyer’s attorney, Jay Mykytiuk, released this statement to 19 News. He declined to comment further.

Shaker Heights City School District Superintendent Dr. David Glasner said in a statement that Meyer is not permitted to contact any Shaker students per school policy.

Dr. Glasner said Meyer passed a Bureau of Criminal Investigation record check before being hired. He also said her references were contacted and her employment history was reviewed.

Copyright 2021 WOIO. All rights reserved.