Portland math teacher loses license after sexual relationship with student

In May 2021, Portland Public Schools sent a misconduct report to the state agency that licenses educators. According to documents, Batliner emailed the student, identified only as “SK” on March 18, 2020, from his school email account to hers.

“I don’t know what is going to happen going forward with respect to school, but I am going to miss seeing you every day until it starts up again,” Batliner wrote. “You are without a doubt, probably, maybe, kind of, my favorite student sorta ever.”

The school district interviewed the student, who said Batliner had given her special attention, including back rubs and spending time alone with her in class, from the time she was 15.

“She reported that Batliner would frequently make inappropriate comments /compliments about her body and her physical appearance. She reported that shortly after she turned 18, Batliner asked her to meet up for lunch, and she and Batliner began communicating on a regular basis over text message and Snapchat,” state documents noted. “SK reported that Batliner frequently engaged in highly sexualized conversation with her and would send each other nude photos.”

Investigators found that the teacher would also engage in phone sex with the student via FaceTime.

The two met up several times after the teen turned 18, but said Batliner told her he was “too nervous” to kiss or touch her.

Batliner, who held a teaching license in Oregon since 2006, resigned from PPS on June 21, 2021, rather than be fired.

He was charged by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission with gross neglect of duty and/or gross unfitness. Batliner has not faced any criminal charges related to his relationship with the student, because the teen was 18 at the time of the sexual contact, the state commission noted.

Batliner declined to cooperate or participate in a state hearing, or be interviewed by the state commission, noting he understands the charges and consequences.

“I am declining to interview with regard to the investigation of the alleged conduct in connection with my Oregon teaching license,” Batliner wrote to the TSPC, through his attorney. “I understand that declining to interview carries potential consequences. Still, given my particular circumstances, I do not wish to be interviewed. I am writing this letter to document this decision for my TSPC investigation file.”

Batliner is eligible to reapply for his teaching license in a year.

This isn’t the first time a Jefferson High School teacher’s license has come under review. In August 2021, Kawanna Bolden, a former English teacher at Jefferson High who now teaches at Franklin High, was given a 30-day suspension and two years of probation by the state commission, after it was determined she allowed students over to her house on multiple occasions and spent time with them outside of school hours in 2019. Officials noted Bolden often had consent from the students’ parents, but did not get prior authorization from the school.