Julie Jenkin Brewer, a 45-year-old teacher in the Coppell Independent School District in Texas, was arrested on Monday, January 7, due to allegations of online solicitation of a minor.
According to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Brewer was arrested while at work at the Coppell Middle School West by Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputies.
Authorities say that the investigation into Brewer was launched after a complaint of inappropriate behavior between a Brewer and an underaged student, including communication through text and social media.
After receiving the complaint, officials at Coppell Middle School West notified the sheriff’s department, who then launched their investigation.
Emily Froese, the principal of Coppell Middle School West, sent the following statement to parents following Brewer’s arrest, via CBS DFW 11:
Today, I received information alleging improper teacher/student interactions. I, along with the CMS West Administration Team, our School Resource Deputies and Coppell ISD Officials, immediately began investigating the situation. The teacher was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor. The teacher resigned and is no longer allowed at CMS West or any Coppell ISD campus or facility. Coppell ISD also has reported this incident to the State Board of Educator Certification, as required by law and District Policy. Federal privacy laws prohibit us from releasing additional details about this situation.
However, I feel it is important to make you aware of this situation. I also want to share that CMS West and District Administration, along with our School Resource Deputies, are cooperating to the fullest extent in the investigation with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.
Any inappropriate interaction between a teacher and a student will not be tolerated in our school or district. Please take note that all CISD employees must complete a background check before hiring and receive a background check annually.
My team and I join you in being deeply disturbed about these allegations, which we take very seriously. There are no words strong enough to express our deep disappointment and extreme outrage at this alleged violation of professional and ethical conduct we expect of our teachers.
If you have any questions or additional information to share, please feel free to contact me, one of our assistant principals or School Resource Deputies directly. Our counselors also are available for our students to address their concerns. Providing the safest possible learning environment for our students is our highest priority.
As for why there has been such a significant increase in instances of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students, researchers believe that technology is to blame.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse Misconduct & Exploitation) President Terri Miller echoed that sentiment, stating “before cell phones, we knew who our kids were talking to” but today, “kids have their own phones, they’re taking them to bed, and parents need to watch more.”
Hoffman has been one of many teachers to be charged for inappropriate conduct. Over the course of just a few months, teachers across the United States have been charged, tried, and convicted of various abuse and sex crimes.
The list goes on to include 22-year-old Oklahoma science teacher Hunter Day, 28-year-old teacher Megan Kotarski, 23-year-old history teacher Michelle Schiffer, 29-year-old Alyssia Marie Reddy, special education teacher Jordan Ondish and 28-year-old Samantha Fitzpatrick have all been allegedly carrying on inappropriate relationships with their students.
Most recently, teachers such as 29-year-old Haylie Smart, 25-year-old Alaina Ferguson, 26-year-old Amy Nowaczyk, and 32-year-old Laura Bucy were arrested and charged for similar crimes.
