Ex-teacher pleads not guilty in sexting case

SPRAGUE, Conn. (WTNH) -- Newly released court documents paint a very disturbing picture of a former teacher accused of having inappropriate conduct with a child.

The so-called sexting described in an affidavit was disturbing and upsetting for a 14-year-old student at the Academy of the Holy Family who says she considered this teacher a father figure.

30-year-old Robert Pfeiffer he pleaded not guilty in Norwich Superior Court to allegations he sent inappropriate text messages to an eighth grader while he was a history teacher at the Academy of the Holy Family in Baltic.

Pfeiffer did not have anything to say, but according to court papers he told the principal of the catholic boarding school for girls he sent the sexual texts to "...ensure that she would be able to say 'no' to boys in the future."
    
The student says he once asked her to sleep with him and when she said she didn't want to lose her virginity at 14 he said he could "do it without her losing her virginity" and described how that would be done.

"I think it's disgusting," said Brittany Izzo. "He's supposed to be someone to look up to, not someone who is supposed to be preying on children."

"He's an authority figure. He's supposed to give them guidance not take them down the wrong path," said Damien Grimsley.

Pfeiffer was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. Court papers also indicate he was let go as a substitute teacher at RHAM high school for bizarre comments to students there.

"I don't see how you can do something like that and not see why it's wrong," Izzo said.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Norwich says Pfeiffer went through a thorough screening process when he was hired in 2008 and once these allegations came to light in April 2010 he was dismissed/resigned immediately and all the proper authorities were contacted.