Biology teacher who had sex with five students spared jail
Some sex acts are believed to have taken place on school property, according to officials
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A biology teacher who admitted to having sex with five 17-year-old pupils has been spared jail.
Marquita Alston pleaded guilty to five counts of statutory rape at the Pearl Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School in Nashville, Tennessee.
She was given five years’ probation and ordered to sign the sex offender register.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said its Sex Crimes Unit started investigating Ms Alston in November 2014. It concluded she had performed sex acts on five different pupils between September and November 2014. Some of the acts took place on school property, according to officials.
The police were alerted to her actions after the school’s principal, Sonia Stewart, was sent a tip-off.
In addition to her probation, Ms Alston will have to undergo treatment, the details of which have not been specified.
She was placed on administrative leave in November 2014, but resigned one week later, reports WKRN.
Following her absence, police interviewed a number of students.
Student safety is always our number one priority,” a spokesperson for Metro Nashville Public Schools said.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments