Teacher Faces Sex Assault Charges

(Normal, Illinois) Last month, 25-year-old Spanish teacher at University High School, Sarah Elizabeth Dickerson, turned herself in to face charges that she engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student. Dickerson was booked into the McLean County Jail and released on $5,000 bail.

Yesterday, Dickerson was formally charged with five counts of criminal sexual assault. Her arraignment is scheduled for July 21.

From Pantagraph.com:

State's Attorney Bill Yoder said in a statement she and a male student began exchanging e-mail and text messages early in the spring semester, and the correspondence developed into a sexual relationship.

The student's mother found some of the messages and confronted Dickerson, Yoder said, and Illinois State University police opened a criminal investigation after an internal investigation by school officials.

Dickerson resigned from her teaching position on May 19. She remains free on bail.


[Update 02/09/07]

Dickerson sentenced.