SAN ANTONIO – A 56-year-old man who taught in Southside ISD is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, according to court records.
Ernest Orlando Herrera, a former 8th-grade teacher at Losoya Middle School, was arrested on Monday.
An arrest warrant affidavit from Southside ISD police states Herrera had sexual contact with a 13-year-old who was a student in his classroom.
The student’s mother was made aware of the allegations, and campus police met with campus administration on Friday, the affidavit states.
Herrera had already been relieved of his position as a teacher by Southside ISD, police said.
According to the affidavit, Herrera wrote a statement to campus administration that said he had been speaking with the student for a few weeks and they “developed a relationship.”
A warrant for his arrest was issued on Monday. He is charged with improper relationship between an educator and student, a second-degree felony, records with the Bexar County Jail show.
Southside ISD Superintendent Rolando Ramirez released the following statement:
On Friday, the district received a report of alleged inappropriate behavior between a staff member and a student. The district takes all allegations of inappropriate behavior very seriously and immediately upon receiving this report, the district reported the issue to law enforcement and began to investigate the allegations.
We are deeply troubled by any report alleging an employee engaged in inappropriate behavior in our district. We have zero tolerance for any actions or behaviors that harm or can potentially harm our students. All district personnel must pass a criminal background check as a condition of employment, and we expect our teachers and staff to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. The staff member in question is no longer employed by Southside ISD effective immediately.