'Teacher of the Year' accused of having sex with 16-year-old student
A 38-year-old maths teacher has been taken into custody after being accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 16-year-old male student
A woman once named "Teacher of the Year" has been arrested after being accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student.
Tracy Vanderhulst, who formerly taught at Yucaipa High School in California, has been taken into custody and booked into the San Bernardino County detention centre on bail of $30,000 (£24,000).
The 38-year-old is accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 16-year-old male student.
A statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department says she has been charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
The statement added detectives are also exploring the possibility that there may be additional victims in the case and have released the suspect's mugshot.
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The statement read: "On Thursday, May 18, 2023, detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Specialized Investigations Division - Crimes Against Children Detail and the Yucaipa Station investigated allegations of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor by a teacher at Yucaipa High School.
"Detectives identified Yucaipa High School teacher, Tracy Vanderhulst, as the suspect.
"At the conclusion of the investigation, Vanderhulst was arrested and booked into Central Detention Center in San Bernardino for violation of PC 261.5(c) in lieu of $30,000 bail.
"Investigators and the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District worked cooperatively to ensure a thorough investigation into this matter was completed.
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"Detectives believe there may be additional victims and are releasing Vanderhulst’s booking photograph."
The Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District has also released a statement, which reads: "The safety and well-being of our students is our absolute priority, and we take these allegations very seriously.
"Prompt action shall be taken against the offending parties, as well as any other persons knowledgeable of the allegations who may have failed to act.
"We want to assure you that should the District receive future allegations of this against one of its employees or any affiliated persons, such allegations shall be promptly reported to law enforcement, as all District personnel are mandatory reporters."
Vanderhulst was named "Teacher of the Year" at the school in 2017 and was hired by the school as a maths teacher in 2013, according to a Facebook post from Jukly 31 of that year.
Yucaipa, located around 10 miles east of San Bernardino in San Bernardino County, California, is widely regarded as a deeply conservative town.
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