ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Education said a former Rockledge high school teacher told his students demonic energy came from the bathroom, that a student was his "spirit daughter" and he was another student's "spirit husband."

Edward Tardif, 46, was also accused of holding meditation in his criminal justice classroom during the 2017-2018 school year as well as trying to smoke with a student and contacting students on social media at inappropriate times.

Tardif said the district did not welcome him back to the classroom following that school year and he has not been a teacher since.

The state placed Tardif on probation for two years and he cannot apply for a teacher's certificate for five years.

Tardif Monday said all the investigative findings are false.

"This is a total, big, big misunderstanding," he told News 6 at his Port Saint John house.

About the demonic energy part of the report, Tardif said, "I made a reference that maybe there's something evil in the bathroom because there were kids coming out with red eyes."

Tardif continued defending himself, saying he thought there might have been drug use going on in the bathroom.

He said his remarks were off-key.

In the year since he was not reappointed to teach, Tardif said he's looking for a new career.

Tardif was also the director of the district's criminal justice academy.

He believes he will never teach again and shared this message for his critics.

"If I was reading the article, I would say it's very strange, very bizarre, but it's just totally taken out of context," Tardif said.

