Sex Charges Being Sought Against Cypress High Teacher

A Cypress High School teacher was arrested this week on suspicion of child molestation after love letters to a 17-year-old student were discovered by her mother, police said.

Clifford Scofield, 55, of Costa Mesa was free Wednesday on $10,000 bail two days after his arrest, according to police spokesman Lt. John Schafer.

Scofield, described by a school district official as a veteran science teacher, was arrested after the student’s mother found several notes that appeared to be from him to her daughter, police said.

The letters describe “an ongoing sexual relationship,” Schafer said. There is no evidence that the instructor has relations with any other students, but the investigation is ongoing, Schafer said.

The school has placed Scofield on leave of absence until the inquiry is resolved.

Scofield could not be reached Wednesday for comment. His wife, Tomi, declined to elaborate on the investigation. “We have been advised not to comment,” she said.

Police are seeking charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and child molestation, Schafer said. The allegations on are based on the letters and follow-up interviews by detectives, he said.

“The mother alerted us about these notes, and then investigators confirmed the relationship,” Schafer said.

Scofield was arrested Monday at the police station, which he voluntarily visited for questioning after investigators approached him with the claims.

Cypress High Principal Tracy Brennan could not be reached for comment.

Craig Haugen, assistant superintendent of the Anaheim Union School District, declined to discuss the allegations facing Scofield, citing the investigation and the confidentiality of personnel issues: “All I can say is a full investigation is being conducted and we take this matter very seriously.”

Times staff writer Kimberly Sanchez contributed to this report.