Teacher accused of sexual harassment of student in lawsuit

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Officials say a high school teacher southwest of Tacoma has been accused of sexually harassing a former student and has been placed on administrative leave. The News Tribune reports the district announced Eric Garrett’s leave on Wednesday, the same day hundreds of students at Steilacoom High School staged a walkout to express concern over the math teacher’s alleged behavior. District spokeswoman Gwen Miller says a lawsuit alleging the teacher inappropriately touched a former student prompted Garrett’s leave. Attempts to contact Garrett for comment were not immediately successful.