By Lauren Fruen For Dailymail.com
Published: 22:20 BST, 3 May 2019 | Updated: 22:44 BST, 3 May 2019
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A New Jersey middle school teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl who fell pregnant at 16 while he was a Catholic priest will be allowed to keep his current job, a state arbitrator has said.
Former Rev. Joseph DeShan, 59, left the priesthood in 1994 after a sexual relationship with the teenager which resulted in their baby. He is said to currently earn more than $85,000 annually teaching reading to sixth-graders.
Now DeShan, a 22-year employee of the Cinnaminson School District, will stay in his role at Cinnaminson Middle School despite complaints from parents of students there, according to documents. He had also told a female student she had 'pretty green eyes', according to the ruling.
He was accused of 'conduct unbecoming of a staff member' and there were complaints children felt unsafe being taught by a 'rapist' and a 'pedophile'.
DeShan served as a Roman Catholic priest in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when he got the girl pregnant but was not prosecuted there.
The ruling states: 'The student reported that the comment made her feel “uncomfortable.” The student further noted that DeShan made the comment in a “weird voice.”'
The seven-page document also noted that
