Related Articles Teacher convicted of sex act with second student in East Palo Alto classroom SAN JOSE — A 32-year-old high school teacher was arrested Thursday on suspicion of sending sexually explicit pictures to a 17-year-old student and having oral sex with him, according to police.

Trudy Hill, an English teacher at Santa Teresa High School and a resident of San Jose, surrendered to detectives at the San Jose Police Department. She posted bail after being booked on charges of sending harmful matter to a minor and oral copulation with a minor.

Police said Hill had a sexual relationship with the student between August and November.

“Hill used her position of authority to exploit the victim into a sexual relationship,” said San Jose police Sgt. Enrique Garcia.

Only one victim has been identified, but police have not ruled out the possibility that there are others, Garcia said.

Hill has been placed on leave pending further developments in the criminal investigation, according to a statement released by the East Side Union High School District.

“We are shocked and deeply disturbed by these allegations,” the statement read. “We want to assure the community that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority.”

In addition to providing assistance to the victim and his family, the district also is conducting a separate review to “ensure that district staff is receiving the necessary and appropriate training and resources to help identify and prevent this type of conduct.”

Hill is the fourth district employee this year to be accused of sexual misconduct with a student.

In February, 35-year-old Juan Gonzalez, a well-liked interim vice principal at James Lick High, was arrested on suspicion of having an “inappropriate relationship” with a 17-year-old female student.

Enoch Garcia, a 21-year-old assistant track coach at Mt. Pleasant High, was arrested in March on suspicion of having sexual relationships with two students, ages 14 and 17.

In June, 33-year-old Marc Alquiza, a wrestling coach at Independence High, was arrested on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a 14-year-old girl in a summer wrestling program at the school.

On a website that rates teachers, four of the five reviews for Hill lauded her informal teaching style.

“Her class is the type of class you actually want to wake up early in the morning and go to,” one reviewer wrote. “She is willing to work with any student she has and even adjusts her teaching style along the way based on her students’ suggestions and requests.”

The lone negative review blasted Hill for spending most of her time talking about her life instead of teaching.

“She is always on her phone,” the reviewer wrote. “You will pass.”

Anyone with information about the most recent case can contact San Jose police Detective Sean Pierce at 408-537-1397. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP (7867).