Improper Relationship Between Educator & Student Law Broad in Scope

Texas has seen an increase in arrest for the felony offense of Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student in the past year. The majority of the these cases involves a teacher who is accused of being involved in a sexual relationship with a student who is enrolled in at the school the teacher is assigned. However Texas law also covers cases in which the student is enrolled at a different school than the teacher as long as student’s school is in the same school district.

For example if the Teacher worked at a middle school in D.I.S.D. and was accused of a having a sexual relationship with a student in a D.I.S.D. high school the teacher could be prosecuted . There is no requirement that the sexual relationship began when student was enrolled at the same school as the teacher.

Often times the student involved is 17 or 18 years of age and is a legal adult who can consent to a sexual relationship with another adult. The activity only becomes illegal when the adult is a teacher in the Student’s school district. This law has survived constitutional challenges and has been upheld by Texas courts. If you become a target of this type of investigation confer with a criminal attorney before making any statements to law enforcement or school officials.