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Family friend ‘shocked’ about sex accusations against teacher

Former Mason teacher accused of sex acts to face trial in May

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer 6:13 PM Wednesday, February 9, 2011

LEBANON — A friend of Stacy Schuler’s family said he was in “shock” when he heard about the sexual misconduct allegations against the former Mason High School teacher.

The family friend, who declined to be identified, said, “these are all allegations and until it goes through a court of law, she’s not guilty of anything.” Schuler, 32, of Springboro, was indicted last Friday by a Warren County grand jury of 16 counts of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, and three misdemeanor counts of offenses involving underage persons for purchasing beer for a group of football players between August and December 2010.

The 10-year veteran of the Mason school district resigned her position as a physical education and health teacher on Tuesday. Schuler is free on her own recognizance pending trial.

The family friend described Schuler as “outstanding and well-rounded.” He said she was a “strong academic student and was active in high school and college activities. He said Schuler always focused on her professional goals, her intent to earn a master’s degree and her accomplishments as an athletic trainer.

He also described her as “hard-working” and was “a person who gives of herself to help her family and friends.... She was a teacher who cared.”

The friend said he had worked with Schuler’s mother for several years. While he had not seen Schuler in about three years, they had known each other for more than 16 years.

“She was just an outstanding person,” he said. “Based on the person that we know, we find it hard to believe she could have participated in these kinds of activities.”

Centerville High School Principal Eileen Booher remembered Schuler as “a good student” and who was involved in various activities such as cheerleading, service clubs, the softball team, and the marching band.

Booher said she was one of Schuler’s recommendations in her application to enroll at Wright State University.

“It’s surreal,” Booher said about the allegations against Schuler. “Based on what I know when she was a student, it’s hard to fathom that this would be a behavior of hers.”

Booher was also quick to note that none of these allegations have been proven in court.

Booher described Schuler, a 1996 graduate, as being “respectful of her peers and teachers. She was a model student.”

“I wasn’t surprised about her career choice,” Booher said. “She had a great respect in the value of education.”

Booher said she had run into Schuler at athletic events when Centerville played hockey against Archbishop Alter High School or football against Mason.

Among the academic and athletic accomplishments on Schuler’s resume for the Mason teaching job was being a recipient of the Girl Scouts’ Gold Award, which is the equivalent of being an Eagle Scout.

Schuler was married for a time, but that ended in divorce on grounds of incompatibility with her spouse in June 2006, according to Warren County Common Pleas Court records.

No court dates have been set for Schuler as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to the county clerk of courts office.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.

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