TEA investigating over 150 improper student-teacher relationships in Texas this school year

As lawmakers consider a myriad of bills to curb the epidemic of inappropriate student-teacher relationships, the Texas Education Agency has opened over 150 investigations into the issue this school year, according to data obtained by mySA.com.

The agency has opened 159 cases so far in the 2016-17 school year, which began in August, said TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson in an email.

Here is a breakdown by month of how many investigations have been opened in 2017 alone:

• January 2017: 19
• February 2017: 23
• March 2017: 39

Click through the slideshow above to see some of the high-profile arrests and accusations that have made headlines in 2017.

RELATED: Records: 63 S.A.-area teachers lost license from TEA probes of improper student relationships

A record 222 investigations were opened in the 2015-16 fiscal year, and the Austin American-Statesman found a total of 893 cases were opened from 2011 to 2016. Of those cases, 63 San Antonio-area educators lost their teaching certificates and 24 were charged with a crime.

A dozen teachers were found to have worked in more than one district across the state, including some overlapping in multiple Bexar County districts, records show.

Several teachers were investigated for improper relationships before moving to a San Antonio-area school district.

RELATED: Police: Married Texas junior high teacher impregnated 15-year-old student during long relationship

Across Bexar, Guadalupe, Kendall and Comal counties, Northside Independent School District had the highest number of teachers investigated for an improper relationship, according to state data.

Social media may be contributing to the rise in cases, acting as a catalyst for inappropriate relationships allowing educators to contact students through apps like Snapchat,  Culbertson said. 

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5