Texas saw boom in teacher-student sex scandals in 2016



Click forward to see Texas educators accused or convicted in some of the most recent sex scandals. less In the 2014-15 school year, the TEA opened 188 investigations into inappropriate relationships between teachers and students.

Click forward to see Texas educators accused or convicted in some of the most recent ... more In the 2014-15 school year, the TEA opened 188 investigations into inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. Image 1 of / 96 Caption Close Texas saw boom in teacher-student sex scandals in 2016 1 / 96 Back to Gallery

As 2016 ends, the trend of alleged sexual relationships between Texas teachers and students continues to grow.

The number of investigations into inappropriate relationships rose steadily each fiscal year between 2009-10 and 2015-16, according to the Texas Education Agency, with an overall rise of 57 percent in the number of alleged incidents over that time span.

The most recent case in the news involved a former substitute teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student at Justin Kimball High School in Dallas.

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Fallon Hunt, 28, of Irving, was arrested Dec. 6 and later released from the Dallas County Jail on $25,000 bail, online records state.

According to WFAA, Hunt is accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student while she was filling in for a Justin Kimball High School teacher on medical leave last year. Her arrest warrant stated that the student called Hunt "wifey" and she referred to him as "my baby," WFAA reported.

One of Houston's most high-profile cases this year resulted in a guilty plea in November by former Aldine school district teacher Alexandria Vera. The 24-year-old former middle school teacher was accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy, resulting in a pregnancy that ended with an abortion.

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She could have been sent to prison for life but pleaded guilty in exchange for a maximum 30-year sentence and an agreement to be sentenced by the judge in her case. Her sentencing has not taken place.

According to state figures, the Texas Education Agency opened 141 investigations in the 2009-10 fiscal year, which began Sept. 1, 2009. The annual increase over the next five years was about 9 cases until a jump of 34 cases occurred - from 188 in 2014-15 and 222 in 2015-16.

Among the 188 cases in Fiscal Year 2015, roughly 100 educators were arrested, officials said.

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Between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30 of this year, the Texas Education Agency's education investigations unit has opened 56 investigations of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students or minors, the agency said.

In its funding request for the next two years, the agency is asking the Texas Legislature for an extra $400,000 to hire additional investigators, according to the Texas Tribune.

The spate of investigations has also resulted in some push-back.

Brian Ortiz, a former high school sports referee, filed a federal lawsuit Nov. 14 against Montgomery County and three individuals over charges against him for an allegedly improper relationship with an 18-year-old male Caney Creek High School student. The charges were dropped in September.