A Texas high school teacher has lost her job after she was arrested on suspicion of having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old male student.
According to CBS Austin, Sarah Madden Fowlkes, 26, turned herself in after Lockhart police issued a warrant for her arrest.
Until her arrest, Fowlkes was an Anatomy and Physiology teacher at Lockhart High School. Police interviews reportedly found that the teacher engaged in sexual contact with the 17-year-old student and that they maintained contact in person and via messaging.
Superintendent Susan Bohn said that Fowlkes would not be returning to the school district, and addressed the suspension and arrest in an email to parents, which read in part:
Lockhart parents entrust their children to us every day, and it is something we do not take lightly. Student safety is the district’s most important priority. As soon as we learned of the report, we acted swiftly to involve law enforcement and CPS [Child Protective Services] to conduct a thorough investigation. The district does not and will not tolerate any improper communication or contact between a teacher and child.
Fowkles previously taught fifth grade at Plum Creek Elementary school in Lockhart.
Photo: Lockhard ISD
