A former Middletown High School math teacher is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and has been arrested.
A former Middletown High School math teacher is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and has been arrested.
Police said 35-year-old James Hanson taught at Middletown High from August 2022 through Nov. 16, 2023 and was immediately placed on administrative leave when the investigation started. He has since resigned.
School officials said Hanson was placed on leave in November when the allegations surfaced, and the school district contacted authorities. Soon after, Hanson submitted his resignation.
He is no longer employed by Middletown Public Schools and has not been for several months now. The student was a minor, according to police.
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“Since November, we have been working in partnership with the authorities and will continue to do so for as long as is necessary,” a statement from the school department says.
In an arrest warrant, officials said that two teachers informed the principal about the allegations after the student told them about her relationship with Hanson.
Authorities said the student was reluctant to disclose details at first out of fear of retaliation and bullying. The teen told police that inappropriate contact happened both on and off school grounds, the warrant reads.
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During an interview, the girl described Hanson's behavior as "creepy," and said his advances started a few weeks into the school year. Hanson would allegedly compliment her hair and he made inappropriate comments about the way he viewed her, the girl told authorities.
The teen went on to say that Hanson's interest in her increased as the year went on. He allegedly drove her to his home where she met some of his family, including his wife and sister, according to the warrant.
In the warrant, police said Hanson used Discord, an instant messaging platform, to communicate with the girl. His wife later found messages where he told the teen, "I love you."
In April of 2023, Hanson allegedly picked up the teen and brought her to a nearby park. He told her not to bring her phone, and the teen said the two performed several sexual acts, the warrant states.
“We know situations like this can have profound effects on our school community, and we want to remind you that our school support personnel remain available to any member of our school community who wants or needs support,” the statement goes on to say.
School officials are asking parents and guardians to remind their children that if they hear or see something concerning, they should tell a trusted adult immediately and/or report it anonymously through the Say Something portal, app or hotline.
A warrant was served on Tuesday and Hanson turned himself in at the Middletown Police Department, where he was charged with five counts of sexual assault in the second degree, two counts of sexual assault in the fourth degree, use of a computer to entice a minor and risk of injury to a minor.
He was held on a $100,000 bond and is due in court today on Tuesday.
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