With any crime, the consequences that an individual may face if they are convicted can be far-reaching and can affect numerous areas of their life. One category of offenses that can dramatically affect a person’s career is sex offenses, especially if the individual has a job that involves working with children.
Some examples of situations in which prosecutions for sex offenses have affected careers are the cases involving inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. This category of cases is becoming more and more common in Texas, where some of the incidents that have occurred have made it to national news headlines.
There has been such a dramatic rise in allegations of inappropriate teacher-student relationships over the past few years that the Governor has called for new legislation to be passed sometime this year. Between 2013 and 2016, the number of prosecutions for inappropriate relationships between teachers and students increased by sixty percent.
Not all cases involving inappropriate relationships between teachers and students make the news, but one recent case has been receiving a large amount of national attention. In 2016, a former teacher was having a relationship with a thirteen-year-old student, and she became pregnant. The woman was charged with continuous sexual assault of a child; however, she reached a plea bargain by admitting to having committed the crime of aggravated sexual assault on a child. She could be sentenced to prison for up to thirty years for that lesser offense. If she had been convicted of continuous sexual assault of a child, she could have faced life in prison.
The Texas Education Agency wants lawmakers to pass legislation that will require school districts to revoke the teaching licenses of sex offenders, impose criminal penalties on superintendents who fail to report improper relationships, and compel witnesses to testify. The Agency would also like to receive funds to hire investigators to look into all allegations of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. Currently, school districts can fire teachers who have had inappropriate relationships with students, but they are not yet able to revoke their licenses. The Agency hopes that stricter rules might encourage teachers to think more carefully before engaging in any conduct that could possibly be inappropriate because they would know that there is a lot at stake.
Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra – Helping Texans Fight for their Rights
Unfortunately, although some of the allegations of inappropriate teacher-student relationships have led to the prosecution of educators who have engaged in inappropriate conduct, there have also been some false accusations. Even though the contemplated legislation has not yet been passed, there is a lot at stake for any educator who is accused of having any sort of inappropriate relationship. If you are alleged to have any type of inappropriate relationship with a student, you are likely to have many questions and concerns. An experienced Texas criminal defense attorney can help you protect your rights. To learn more, please call Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra, at (903) 753-7499. Alternatively, you may contact us online.