A former Teacher of the Year who was recently promoted to assistant principal has been busted for allegedly having sex with a student.
Olivia Marie Smith was arrested and charged Thursday – a month after cops received a tip-off that she allegedly engaged in the perverted behavior while employed at Ocean Springs Middle School in Mississippi, the Sun Herald reported, without saying how old the child was.
Smith won a teacher of the year award at the middle school in 2022 – and was recently promoted to be an assistant principal at nearby Oak Park Elementary School, the outlet said.
She was charged with sexual battery – an offense that carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison in Mississippi given her position of authority.
She was also charged with enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes, the report said, without further details on the allegations.
“We understand the gravity of this situation and the concern it may raise in our community. We want to reassure parents, students, and staff that we are addressing this matter with seriousness and diligence,” Ocean Springs School District officials told WLOX.
“The safety of our students and staff members remains our highest priority.”
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