HUMBLE, Texas – A female teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student appeared in court on Thursday.
Amanda Feenstra, 30, a dance teacher at Humble High School, has been charged with improper relationship with a student, a second-degree felony. She declined to comment about the case.
Humble Independent School District police said the student, who has since graduated, made an outcry to a former teacher in September.
Prosecutors said Feenstra initiated the relationship with the student, who was 17 at the time it started, by kissing her after taking her home from school following a one-on-one dance lesson.
According to court documents, the girl came forward after, she said, Feenstra stalked her by going to her place of employment and constantly called her. Officials said the girl didn't report the relationship earlier because she was embarrassed.
The relationship began in August 2010, when the girl was 17 years old, investigators said.
At some point, the teen began living with Feenstra, according to court documents. The two had numerous sexual encounters in the home, detectives said. The first encounter happened when Feenstra's husband was not home, officials said.
Detectives said the two had sex in the dance room of the high school after a parent booster meeting one evening. According to court documents, the teacher and student also had sex after every football game.
Humble ISD officials said Feenstra resigned in 2011, after directing the school's dance and drill teams for two years. Feenstra later worked for the Dayton ISD, but she resigned from that position in December.
Feenstra was released from the Harris County Jail after posting $30,000 bond. She has strict conditions on her bond.
"Ms. Feenstra is not to have any contact with the complaining witness in this case or any minor under the age of 17," Assistant District Attorney Lacy Johnson said. "She's also not allowed to possess any device, including computers or cellphones that would access the Internet. She's not allowed access to pornography of any kind.
If convicted, Feenstra could face up to 20 years in prison.