A teacher of an independent Catholic private school in New Orleans has been arrested on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
On Thursday (February 5), Teddi Page was arrested for allegedly starting an intimate relationship with a student at the Academy of Sacred Heart in New Orleans.
The 29-year-old teacher was hired to teach biology at the school last August.
A police affidavit obtained by The Times-Picayune claims that New Orleans Police Department officials received a report from the principal of the school following a mother of a student alleging there had been sexual contact between the teacher and her child.
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The affidavit further claims 'personal and intimate' conversations took place between a 17-year-old student and Page across a period of two months.
This then allegedly progressed into a physical relationship.
Page allegedly kissed and had sex with the teenager both in the student's vehicle alongside the teacher's apartment.
Concerned with changes in her daughter's behavior, the student's mom decided to look at her social media accounts.
The parent allegedly discovered texts between her daughter and Page, which included images of them kissing and images of them wearing no clothing.
The mom took what she discovered to the principal on February 2, and Page was fired and escorted off the school premises.
Her bond has since been set at $15,000, and she's set to appear in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court on Friday (February 13).
Louisiana Law currently states sexual conduct between an educator and student is prohibited when 'an educator has sexual intercourse with a person who is seventeen years of age or older, but less than twenty-one years of age, where there is an age difference of greater than four years between the two persons, when the victim is not the spouse of the offender and is a student at the school where the educator is assigned, employed, or working at the time of the offense'.
The alleged physical contact between the pair is reported to have occurred in November, when the student had turned 18.
However, a social media user who claims to be a relative of Page has since spoken out online, arguing 'the teacher does not deserve to be portrayed as a paedophile or sex offender'.
They continued: "The situation has been completely misrepresented."
Academy of the Sacred Heart Head of School Gretchen Zibilich Kane told The Times-Picayune that the school conducts thorough background and reference checks, which Page passed without issue.
Kane said: "We are supporting the student and her family who have come forward and are providing resources and counseling for our students who may be upset about these developments."
UNILAD has contacted the Academy of Sacred Heart for additional comment.
Poppy Bilderbeck