Florida high school teacher under criminal investigation for showing R-rated film to students

A Florida teacher's airing of the R-rated movie "Alexander" in front of her class has become the focus of a criminal investigation.

The educator, who has not been identified, remains on administrative leave from Niceville High School while the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and the Okaloosa County School District review the circumstances surrounding the film being shown to a Classical Studies class.

"It is an active investigation that has been assigned to investigations," Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Michele Nicholson said in an email.

Deputy Superintendent Steve Horton also confirmed that an internal investigation initiated in late September is continuing. He said an update will be provided at the conclusion of the investigation.

With the case classified as active, the Sheriff's office and district declined to release documentation or discuss the nature or focus of the ongoing investigation.

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The presentation of "Alexander," a graphic 2004 Oliver Stone motion picture depicting the life of Alexander the Great, was first brought to the attention of the school board on Sept. 27 by Cara and Craig Marion.

Cara Marion told the board she first learned about "Alexander" two weeks ahead of the board's meeting when her 15-year-old daughter told her a teacher had shown her class a movie she found to be very inappropriate.

Marion said she had watched the movie herself and found it to contain no educational content. She said students who had seen "Alexander" saw exposed male genitalia, domestic violence, sexual acts and rape scenes.

"Nobody should have to see this material that was shown in this classroom, and I hope something will be done about that," she told the board.

Craig Marion called the airing of the film "distribution of pornography to minors."

Cara Marion told the board that she had contacted the school's principal, Charlie Marello, after initially speaking to her daughter about the film. She said Marello had confirmed "Alexander" was not on an approved materials list and assured her he would take the matter up with the teacher.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Florida teacher on leave for showing R-rated film 'Alexander' to class