Blumenshine Resigns Teaching Position in Wake of Student-Sex Arrest

teacher resigned Tuesday, two weeks after being arrested on charges that she had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Blumenshine's letter of resignation was accepted by the board, which directed the superintendent to begin the process of having her teaching license suspended and revoked.

The request must be approved by the Will County superintendent of schools and the state superintendent of schools, district spokesman Tom Hernandez said in a statement released Tuesday night.

Blumenshine, 27, was arrested Jan. 4 after Plainfield police found her and the student in a car parked outside the Kohl's store on Route 59. The pair acknowledged that they had just had sex, and physical evidence of that encounter was retrieved from the scene, police said.

Blumenshine, who taught physical education and dance and coached girls gymnastics and golf, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault. She is currently free on $75,000 bail.

The board directed Supt. John Harper to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities in the pending criminal proceeding against Blumenshine, Hernandez said.

The resignation allows the district to avoid a teacher dismissal hearing, which would have been a lengthy procedure and required witnesses, including PNHS students and staff members, he said.

Blumenshine has been on unpaid leave since Jan. 10. She will be paid for work performed prior to the Jan. 7 pay date and is eligible to continue insurance coverage at her expense as allowed by federal law, Hernandez said. No other payments or benefits will be provided to her.