Estero teacher accused of inappropriate sex talk with student has Florida teacher certificate revoked

Patricia Borns
The News-Press
Estero High School history teacher Christopher Rohling's Florida teaching career came to end with a July settlement with the Florida Dept. of Education for alleged sexual come-ons to a 16-year-old student during the 2016-2017 school year.

Two years after FGCU graduate Christopher Rohling began teaching history at Estero High School, alleged sex talk with a female student ended his career in the state of Florida for good.

The Florida Department of Education found Rohling guilty of behavior violating codes of conduct, including:
•    Telling a student she could raise her grade if she showed him her “boobs.”
•    Asking her if she’d send nude photos to his Snapchat account
•    Passing her a note with words to the effect: “I had a dream that you gave me (oral sex) , would you ever?”
•    Suggesting his classroom door had a lock so she could give him oral sex privately. 
•    Sending her text messages by turns apologizing for his behavior and testing her further.

"I had a dream that you gave me (oral sex).
Would you ever?"

- Former Estero High School teacher Christopher Rohling's
alleged note to a student

Rohling, who was 23 at the time, resigned his position in May 2017 within a few days of the student reporting the unwanted advances to another Estero High teacher, Chelsea Knowles. 

The FDOE investigation occurred quietly around the same time another Estero High teacher, Jennifer Hambling, was being investigated for reportedly having physical contact with a JROTC student. 

Alleged teacher-student sex brings new FL law

The agency didn’t sanction Hambling, who resigned; nor did it or the school district investigate a later complaint that she had an affair with an 18-year-old student in his senior year. 

Rohling agreed in July to a settlement with the FDOE that permanently revokes his Florida teaching certificate.

"I deny these allegations."
- Former Estero High School teacher Christopher Rohling 

“I deny these allegations,” he wrote to the DOE. “However I am seeking a settlement because I do not have the ability to represent myself or even to travel back to Florida for a formal hearing, and do not have the financial resources to appoint an attorney on my behalf.”

In his defense, the former teacher described the student and her best friend, who supported some of the allegations, as “not always the best students” requiring “an extra level of attention” because they “were constantly on their cell phones instead of paying attention to the class.”

Rohling said he had always been vigilant about keeping a professional boundary because he had learned from others that “the student thought that I was ‘attractive.’”

The student, for her part, reported the two had initially flirted, but when Rohling became explicit, she backed away. 

“And a man’s life is in tatters”

One question put to the 16-year-old student BY WHOM? – why did you wait so long to report it? – has challenged scores of women since the #MeToo movement emboldened them to speak for the first time of unwanted sexual advances or assaults from their pasts.

President Trump’s televised mockery of Christine Blasey Ford for her testimony, 30 years after the fact, that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh showed women and girls that their fear of being shamed for coming forward is not unfounded.    

“And a man’s life is in tatters,” the president appealed to supporters at a Mississippi rally for sympathy for men who are accused by women, casting doubt on women's veracity of as reporters of unwanted sexual behavior.  

Decades of research show the opposite, however. For example, FBI investigations, have found 92 percent of rape allegations are true.

Trump mocks Brett Kavanuagh accuser Christine Blasey Ford

"I'm sorry for testing you because I know you wanted to say yes"
- Text message to Estero student from former history teacher Christopher Rohling 

Rohling said the student joined the bowling team because he was coaching it and followed his handle, @rockinrohling, on social media. She said he asked her and her best friend to join the team.

The allegations might have amounted to a case of she said, he said but for an exchange of text messages between them: 

Rohling: Sorry again that I tormented you today.
Student: Yeah I thought you were being serious.
Rohling: I thought about being serious … I was tempted.
Student: Good thing I know better.
Rohling: I know but I think you would have.
Student: I wouldn’t have.
Rohling: Are you sure? Lol
I shouldn’t have messed with you like that though.
Student: Yeah Im sure.
Rohling: Okay, Im proud of you and I'm sorry for testing you because I know you wanted to say yes.
Student: Yeah I really didn’t though. I know you don’t think so but I've changed a lot.
Rohling: Wow, really? I’m really proud of you! But also a little hurt lol
Student: Yeah thanks.

School district spokeswoman Lauren Stillwell had no comment on the investigation other than to say, "When the principal was informed of the allegation he immediately notified his SRO and the district. An investigation was launched and DCF was notified. ... All information we had was turned over to the Florida Department of Education."  

Rohling, who currently resides in Cincinnati, did not respond to The News-Press’ email request for comment.

Follow this report on Twitter @PatriciaBorns. For news tips call (239) 839-5931.