Photo: Seminole County Sheriff's Office
A Florida teacher, Mackenzie McLean, has been arrested and charged with engaging in a sexual relationship with a student who lived with her. McLean, a 49-year-old economics teacher at Crooms Academy in Sanford, was taken into custody on Tuesday (February 17) and faces two counts of sex offense by an authority figure and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
The male student, who was a senior at the time, moved into McLean's home in March 2024 after being kicked out of his own home. According to an arrest affidavit, the student reported that McLean provided him with alcohol and engaged in sexual activity with him on multiple occasions. He alleged that McLean gave him 12 shots of gin, causing severe intoxication, and then told her daughter to leave the room before initiating sexual contact. The student estimated that he was sexually abused five to ten times over two months while McLean was still his teacher.
The student told authorities that he felt compelled to allow the abuse to continue because he feared losing his place to live and access to food. He also brought a friend to speak with detectives, who confirmed that McLean had provided her with alcohol and Adderall, a controlled substance. Text messages between McLean and the teen girl allegedly show McLean acknowledging the sexual relationship, though she claimed the student initiated it.
McLean has been placed on administrative leave by Seminole County Public Schools, where she has worked since 2001. A spokesperson for the district stated, "Any allegations of misconduct by our staff will be taken seriously and handled quickly. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority."
McLean is currently being held on a $35,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 31.