Florida Christian school investigates teacher after former student moves in with her, father says family is destroyed

A Florida Christian high school is investigating allegations that a 47-year-old science teacher allowed a former student to move into her home after he turned 18, prompting a confrontation with the student’s father who says the arrangement destroyed their family. Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg confirmed to a reporter that Erin Mounts’s actions were not undertaken with administrative approval and that the matter is being reviewed internally to ensure student care aligns with school policies and biblical values.

Phoenix Legg, now 18, became a figure in the public record well before this year for a reportedly premature foray into journalism. As a child reporter, he once interviewed radio host Glenn Beck and drew praise from then-Vice President Mike Pence. The family’s current dispute centers on the period after Phoenix finished his sophomore year at Northside Christian and ultimately left the school for other schooling and opportunities. Matt Legg, Phoenix’s father, says the relationship between his son and Mounts grew in a way that endangered the family and contributed to his homelessness after they relocated to Florida in 2022.

Mounts, a single mother who taught science at the Northside Christian School, told Daily Mail that the arrangement was meant to be temporary and driven by a desire to help a student facing housing insecurity after Hurricane Milton. She said she wrote up a rental agreement using a ChatGPT-generated document but declined to produce it for review. Mounts also said she had kept communications open with Phoenix’s Arkansas-based grandparents, who approved the teen’s move-in after he reached legal adulthood in June. She described her role as offering steady support rather than a long-term guardianship, and she noted that the family’s housing challenges were the catalyst for the arrangement.

Matt Legg has pushed back on his son’s association with Mounts, saying he and Phoenix had enjoyed a close father–son relationship until circumstances changed after moving to Florida. He told reporters that he had to leave the family rental property and live in his car in order to pry Phoenix out of the teacher’s house and to take care of their dog. He described Phoenix’s shift away from journalism as a loss of a path he had pursued since childhood, a path that had once included opportunities such as a press pass to cover events with national figures.

The text messages between Phoenix and Mounts’ household, cited by Daily Mail, include mentions of “rooms” and overnight stays prior to the legal filing of adulthood, raising questions about boundaries and the power dynamics inherent to teacher–student relationships. Mounts disputed that Phoenix stayed overnight as a minor, saying he only housesat when she and her daughter were away and that any overnight stays occurred after he turned 18. Still, other messages reportedly show Phoenix referencing a room at the Mounts home before he reached the age of 18, and news reporting has highlighted a lack of clarity around the timing and scope of his residence there.

Florida Department of Education guidelines on ethical considerations stress that even when a student is legally an adult, a teacher moving in with them soon after they turn 18 raises serious concerns about exploitation and boundaries. Mounts defended the arrangement as a temporary measure during a period of housing instability and emphasized that her employer, church, and neighbors were aware of the situation. She said the goal was to help Phoenix complete his GED, pursue a technical program, and eventually enlist in the Navy, noting that her intention was to keep him on a productive path rather than to establish any inappropriate relationship.

Northside Christian School, for its part, says it is reviewing the situation and does not condone extending direct assistance to students outside of established school oversight. The school’s counsel described the ministry and the family’s difficulties as a case of good intentions meeting a boundary they say was overstepped, and the attorney stated that the school is taking steps to ensure that future student care aligns with both biblical values and professional boundaries. The school did confirm that the actions of Mounts were not approved by administrators and that the matter is being handled internally.

Phoenix Legg’s early life in the public eye, marked by early journalism accolades, contrasts with his current situation, which has drawn scrutiny of how adult mentors interact with students outside the traditional classroom setting. Family members, school officials, and media reports have all contributed to a complex narrative about trust, safety, and responsibility in educational environments.

As the investigation unfolds, the case highlights ongoing concerns about how schools govern relationships between faculty and students who become young adults and the safeguards intended to prevent conflicts of interest or exploitation. The parties involved have said they hope the process will clarify boundaries and restore stability for all who have been affected by these troubling developments.