Jeri Pickering, a former agricultural science teacher at Cooper High School, was arrested on May 18 on a charge of improper relationship between an educator and student. Pickering was booked into the Delta County Jail and released on a $20,000 bond later that day.
Pickering is accused of violating Texas Penal Code 21.12, which forbids sexual contact between a school employee and a student of that same school. The student in question is 17 years old, Delta County Sheriff Ricky Smith said. In Texas, 17 is the age of legal consent, so Pickering is not being charged with adult-child sexual contact.
“[The allegation] was reported to us by the school," Smith said. "It was reported to the school by the juvenile’s parents."
Pickering turned herself in after warrants were issued on May 18, Smith said.
The law forbidding school employee-student sexual contact has been in place since 2003, Smith said. The statute was amended in 2007 to include electronic communications involving images or text.
Pickering, who was hired by Cooper Independent School District in August 2015, has provisional teaching certificates are current through Aug. 17 of this year. The State Board of Education's Professional Discipline Unit is reviewing her status.
Cooper ISD Superintendent Denicia Hohenberger said the district takes its students’ confidentiality very seriously.
“Cooper ISD is committed to providing a positive and safe learning climate for students," Hohenberger said. "The district is aware of the charge against a former employee and has acted, and will continue to act, in a swift and diligent manner. "We are cooperating with all necessary state and local officials and may not comment further at this time. The district will continue to adhere to the highest of safety standards for the protection of our students."
Pickering resigned on April 19. Following the resignations, the CISD Board of Trustees voted for the approval of two new instructors: Britney Bettes for Ag Science and Leslie Harris for Ag Mechanics.
"We will be continuing to focus on the Ag program and continue to make great strides," Hohenberger said.
This article has been edited throughout.