Charges dropped against Palmetto High teacher accused of having sex with a student

A Palmetto Senior High School music teacher, who was accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student, won’t face charges.

Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped 10 counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor against Christopher Scottlevin Best, 28.

The case was dismissed because the student and her parents refused to cooperate with the investigation on multiple occasions, according to a closeout memo from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office.

The memo says that the victim’s parents “did not want to go forward with the case and they did not want the charges to be filed.”

The Miami-Dade school district would not comment on the case, but issued a brief statement: "He is not being reinstated to his position."

For nine months, according to police, the student and Best carried on a relationship as if they were dating. The student told police that the two had sex at least 10 times, going to a local hotel, and twice behind locked doors in the school’s music room.

Police said Best confessed to having a private “boyfriend-girlfriend” relationship with the student, but denied having sexual relations with her.

Best couldn’t be reached for comment, but his attorney Kristi Kassenbaum said, “Mr. Best is relieved and he hopes to one day teach again.”

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This story was originally published April 15, 2015 at 7:38 PM with the headline "Charges dropped against Palmetto High teacher accused of having sex with a student."