A Dekaney High School teacher has been charged with an improper relationship with a student.
Valerie Lauren Mata, 26, a theater teacher at Dekaney High School, was charged after a police investigation revealed the relationship between her and an 18-year-old student.
Recommended Videos
The student told officers during his sophomore year Mata would greet him with “hellos,” that later evolved into “baby or sweetheart.” Mata invited the student to join the theater class and contacted the student’s friends to convince him.
The arrest affidavit revealed that Mata was texting the student and encouraged the then-sophomore student to join the theater class. During his junior year, the student participated in a play for Black History Month and Mata assisted with the play and tutored the student.
SEE ALSO: Know the warning signs of inappropriate student-teacher relationships
The student stated the first one-on-one interaction between them was when he mistakenly sent her a sexually explicit text message meant for someone else. The student explained that the message was not meant for her when Mata called and asked what he had sent her.
Sometime later, arrest paperwork revealed Mata sent the student a text saying she was ‘tipsy’ before asking the student if he wanted to have sex with her.
By the student’s senior year, documents show the relationship between Mata and the student had become more sexual, including exchanging graphic photos and videos. According to the student, Mata would tell him to delete the conversations, including the pictures and videos sent, when they got too explicit. She also advised him to change her contact name to someone else.
Police also obtained security footage from the school from March which included Mata entering the rehearsal theater alone and shortly after the student entered. The student told investigators a sex act occurred during their time together that day. Later that month, the parents of a friend of the student’s learned about the conversations Mata was having. Those parents reported what they found to the school.
After Mata was confronted during a meeting with Spring ISD police detectives, she said, “Does it make a difference it [sic] he is 18?” She resigned on March 18.
Spring ISD released a statement on the incident:
Over the Spring Break holiday, we were made aware of a report of inappropriate conduct between a Dekaney High School staff member and a student. Immediately upon returning on Monday, March 18, a conference was held with the staff member, and she subsequently resigned effective that same day.
An investigation into the allegations was promptly launched by both the Spring ISD Police Department and our Human Resources Department. Yesterday afternoon, the former staff member was arrested on a felony warrant issued by the Harris County DA’s Office.
The district takes every allegation of educator misconduct seriously and will take all measures necessary to ensure that students are educated in safe and nurturing environments. This includes full cooperation with all law enforcement agencies to ensure justice is fully served.