A suspended Butler Junior High School math teacher is accused of sending inappropriate e-mails to a 13-year-old student more than two years ago.

State police Wednesday charged Ronald J. Zawrotuk, 38, of Jefferson Township with corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Zawrotuk allegedly sent the e-mails to the girl, a student in his class during the 2007-08 school year.

“It’s very discouraging that something like this would occur,” said Butler School District Superintendent Edward Fink of the allegations.

“On the other hand,” he said, “it’s gratifying to know that all the policies and procedures we have in place were followed accordingly and brought this to a conclusion.”

He said district officials only learned about the e-mails Nov. 3 when another student told a teacher at the Butler Intermediate High School about them,

Fink said he spoke to Zawrotuk, who was hired in 1998, after the district’s internal investigation that ended Nov. 10 with the teacher’s paid suspension.

“I told him he’d have a hearing Nov. 15,” Fink said, “and he’d have the opportunity to present any information he wanted at that hearing.”

But Zawrotuk waived the hearing, and the school board suspended him without pay.

Fink said he told Butler Police Chief Tim Fennell about the case following the Nov. 15 suspension.

It was turned over to the state police because Zawrotuk could have sent the e-mails from his home and other places outside the city.

Fink said the district is awaiting a recommendation from its legal counsel that would address Zawrotuk’s employment.

Zawrotuk did not immediately return a message left at his home this morning.