A former Texas teacher, Emily Marie Anderson, has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 15-year-old student while she was working as an educator at Canyon High School in New Braunfels. Anderson was arrested in August 2021 and charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony. She was arrested again in December 2021 and charged with a felony charge of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

According to reports, the police began investigating Anderson after they received a tip from the victim’s mother, who had discovered sexually explicit texts on her son’s phone. An investigation traced the texts back to Anderson, who was then a special education teacher at the high school.

During the investigation, Anderson admitted to police that she had sexual relations with the victim in a biology classroom closet. The victim was 15 years old at the time of the abuse.

On Monday, Anderson pleaded guilty to the charges against her. As part of her sentence, Anderson will be required to spend 60 days in jail over the course of her 10-year probation period. She will also have to pay a $2,000 fine and complete 500 hours of community service. In addition to these penalties, Anderson will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. A protective order has also been filed, prohibiting Anderson from contacting the victim.

The victim’s mother addressed Anderson during the court hearing, stating that her son now suffers from depression and anxiety as a result of the abuse. “I trusted you,” the mother said. “You knew what we were going through, and you knew he was behind in school.” She went on to express her shock and anger upon discovering the abuse, saying, “When I saw those messages — when I went through that phone, my [instinct] was to go and get you out of that school and deal with you myself.”

Anderson did not address the court during her sentence, and her attorney did not immediately return requests for comment. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries between educators and students and the devastating impact that sexual abuse can have on victims and their families. It is imperative that all reports of sexual abuse, particularly involving minors, are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated to bring perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety and well-being of all students.