A former educator was arrested this week on several charges stemming from allegations of serious misconduct with students.
Anthony Hawkins, 25, became the subject of an investigation after administrators at Sam Houston High School, which had employed him as a long-term substitute teacher, contacted the Arlington Police Department on August 23, according to WFAA.
The Arlington school had received complaints that Hawkins had had inappropriate relationships with three teenage students.
Since the alleged victims are minors, their identities were not made public, and the arrest warrant affidavits will not be released to ensure their privacy, according to Arlington police.
Nonetheless, the charges that led to Hawkins being booked into the Arlington city jail were publicly disclosed as three counts of improper relationship between student and educator and two counts of indecency with a child involving sexual contact.
In accordance with the Texas Penal Code, these offenses are second-degree felonies and can lead to a punishment of two to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
Hawkins posted the bond amount of $100,000 and is no longer in police custody.
According to a statement from Arlington Independent School District, Hawkins resigned from his position with Sam Houston High School after the accusations had been made.
Although he did not have a Texas teaching certificate, school administrators contacted the Texas Education Agency to file a report, according to Texas Scorecard.
“As the case progresses, the district will fully cooperate with law enforcement and court officials,” Arlington ISD said.
There have been several allegations of educator misconduct reported in North Texas lately, leading to charges ranging from aggravated assault to possession of child porn, as previously covered in The Dallas Express.
Earlier this year, Dallas ISD, the second-largest school system in Texas, saw three of its employees arrested for alleged crimes committed against minors.
The troubled district has faced allegations of mismanagement and academic struggles for years.
Crime rates citywide have risen alongside a persistent shortage of officers within the Dallas Police Department, as covered by The Dallas Express. While roughly 3,100 officers are currently sworn in, a City report previously recommended that 4,000 were needed to manage crime based on population size.
City data show that 517 sex crimes have been logged in Dallas since the start of the year as of September 7; however, this may not reflect those committed against children. While that figure appears on pace with last year, homicides, drug offenses, and auto thefts have seen considerable increases, according to the crime analytics dashboard.