EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) -- El Cajon Valley High School teacher Melissa Drake has been absent from class since May 16th. That's when the Grossmont Union High School District says they put her on paid administrative leave for misconduct allegations.
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Miriam Lopez was one of her students back in 2011.
"At first it was great," said Lopez. "She was an awesome teacher. It was really good and then towards the end of it she got really different."
The high school sports website, Max Preps, lists Drake as a team manager for the El Cajon Valley boys baseball team.
"She was always at games and stuff like that for I felt like it was the wrong reason," said Lopez. "She was constantly talking to the male students a lot and giving them kind of the special treatment."
The district won't specify what the misconduct allegations are. When Lopez was a student, she said she was not comfortable in Drake's class.
"It was very awkward for me and some of the other female students," said Lopez.
In 2016, Drake received an outstanding teaching award from the district.
"Whatever has been going on, I believe it's not true." said current student Maryam Al-Aboozi. "She has done so much not only to our school, but the community as well."
At least one student feels differently.
"Our schools are supposed to be someplace where we can be safe and meet new friends," said Lopez. "It's not a place for teachers to not be teachers. That's what they get paid for. I just feel like she failed a lot of her students, including me."
The El Cajon Police Department is working on the investigation.
