Rachel Wrobel, a 25-year-old English teacher at Liberal High School in Kansas, has resigned from her position after she was arrested and charged for allegedly sleeping with an underage student.
According to police, Wrobel was arrested on Sunday, January 13, after Liberal Police Department investigators determined an incident occurred between Wrobel and an unidentified teen on Saturday, January 12.
The Liberal Police Department launched an investigation into Wrobel after Liberal High School administrators asked the Liberal Police Department to investigate allegations that Wrobel had sexual relations with an unidentified 18-year-old student.
Police say that the alleged incident occurred on Saturday, January 12, in the 1200 block of West 10th Street in Liberal.
Following her arrest, Wrobel was charged with unlawful sexual relations in Seward County District Court on Tuesday, January 15. Her bond was set at $50,000.
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.
That is all the information available at this time. This article will be updated with new and relevant information should it become available.