Autryville, N.C. — A
former Hobbton Middle School teacher is charged with having a sexual
relationship with one of her former students, authorities said.
Jeannie
Michelle Hodges, 39, of 12237 Dunn Road in Autryville, was charged
Tuesday with statutory rape, sexual offense with a student and
contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was held in the Sampson
County Detention Center under a $50,000 bond.
The Sampson County
Sheriff's Office received a tip last month that a teacher had had an
affair with a 15-year-old boy while working at Hobbton Middle in Newton
Grove. Investigators determined the relationship started toward the end
of the school year and that the boy had spent several nights at the
teacher's house over a two-month period.
Hodges left her teaching job before the end of the school year, authorities said.
"Parents
and other teachers cannot help but (be) feeling betrayed by Ms. Hodges'
actions," Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said in a statement. "I
hope this isolated incident doesn't undermine the public's confidence
in the efforts of the other teachers and educators, who work hard to
ensure our children receive a safe and sound education."
Thornton told WRAL that the teacher didn't try to hide the affair.
"She
didn't deny it and was pretty frank about it having occurred," he said,
adding that investigators don't believe any other students were
involved.
The Sampson County Schools issued a statement that said
Hodges had a good record as an eighth-grade language arts teacher at
Hobbton Middle for the past three years.
"Sampson County Schools
is aware of the charges brought against Ms. Hodges," the statement
said. "It saddens us to learn of such charges. Sampson County Schools
holds its teachers to high moral and ethical standards."
Thornton said the charges affect the credibility of all local teachers.
"To
be quite honest with you, this teacher let her co-workers down to be
involved in something like this. It's not a true indicator of all other
teachers that we have in our school system," he said.
former Hobbton Middle School teacher is charged with having a sexual
relationship with one of her former students, authorities said.
Jeannie
Michelle Hodges, 39, of 12237 Dunn Road in Autryville, was charged
Tuesday with statutory rape, sexual offense with a student and
contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was held in the Sampson
County Detention Center under a $50,000 bond.
The Sampson County
Sheriff's Office received a tip last month that a teacher had had an
affair with a 15-year-old boy while working at Hobbton Middle in Newton
Grove. Investigators determined the relationship started toward the end
of the school year and that the boy had spent several nights at the
teacher's house over a two-month period.
Hodges left her teaching job before the end of the school year, authorities said.
"Parents
and other teachers cannot help but (be) feeling betrayed by Ms. Hodges'
actions," Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said in a statement. "I
hope this isolated incident doesn't undermine the public's confidence
in the efforts of the other teachers and educators, who work hard to
ensure our children receive a safe and sound education."
Thornton told WRAL that the teacher didn't try to hide the affair.
"She
didn't deny it and was pretty frank about it having occurred," he said,
adding that investigators don't believe any other students were
involved.
The Sampson County Schools issued a statement that said
Hodges had a good record as an eighth-grade language arts teacher at
Hobbton Middle for the past three years.
"Sampson County Schools
is aware of the charges brought against Ms. Hodges," the statement
said. "It saddens us to learn of such charges. Sampson County Schools
holds its teachers to high moral and ethical standards."
Thornton said the charges affect the credibility of all local teachers.
"To
be quite honest with you, this teacher let her co-workers down to be
involved in something like this. It's not a true indicator of all other
teachers that we have in our school system," he said.
