Ex-'Teacher of the Year,' assistant principal arrested on child sex charges
FILE-Text books and notebooks line tables inside a classroom. (Sergio Flores/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
A former educator was arrested after police reported that she had sexual relations with a student in Mississippi.
Olivia Marie Smith was charged with sexual battery and enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes, according to WLOX-TV in Mississippi.
The news outlet reported that Smith was employed as a teacher at Ocean Springs Middle School and won "Teacher of the Year" in 2022. Recently, Marie also served as the assistant principal at Oak Park Elementary.
Ocean Springs Police Department investigators told WLOX-TV that they received information about the situation by officials with the Ocean Springs School District on June 20.
On July 23, Smith had a probable cause hearing at a local circuit court. Following the hearing, she was arrested and charged with a judge setting her bond at $50,000 for each charge.
Ocean Springs School District statement
What they're saying:
Ocean Springs School District released a statement obtained by WLOX-TV saying: "After being tipped off about potential inappropriate behavior taking place involving an employee, OSSD immediately notified OSPD and Mississippi Child Protective Services. OSSD has been working closely with law enforcement throughout the investigation."
The school district continued, stating, "We want to reassure parents, students, and staff that we are addressing this matter with seriousness and diligence. OSSD will continue to work with investigators and assist them in any way possible. The safety of our students and staff members remains our highest priority."
The Source: Information for this story was provided by WLOX-TV in Mississippi, which obtained a statement from the school district and cites police. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.