A Lehman High School math teacher was arrested Friday after Kyle police say he had an improper relationship with a student, a charge that has jolted the campus community. Authorities identified the educator as 40-year-old Juan Gomez of Buda and charged him with an improper relationship between an educator and a student. Hays Consolidated ISD said Gomez has been removed from campus and placed on administrative leave while the criminal investigation continues.
Police say they received a report on April 24
The Kyle Police Department says it received a report on April 24 and, after opening an investigation, arrested Juan Gomez on the improper-relationship charge, according to FOX 7 Austin. Local reporting indicates officers are still working the case and have not released additional details. The arrest was carried out in Kyle, and the charge was filed in connection with a student at Lehman High School.
District removes teacher and bars contact with students
Hays CISD confirmed that Gomez worked at Lehman High and said he was immediately pulled from campus, placed on administrative leave, and barred from returning or communicating with students and coworkers, per the district statement reported by the Hays Free Press. "Protecting students is paramount," Hays CISD chief communications officer Tim Savoy said in the district release cited in that report. The district also noted that employees undergo fingerprint-based background checks and explained that term-contracted teachers have employment due-process rights that affect whether they can be immediately terminated.
What the charge means under Texas law
The offense of improper relationship between educator and student is codified at Section 21.12 of the Texas Penal Code and is classified as a second-degree felony; a conviction can carry two to 20 years in prison and a possible fine, according to Texas law posted online by Justia. The statute also limits public disclosure of any student’s identity and lays out mandatory reporting duties for school officials when such allegations surface.
What happens next
Kyle police say they are working with school officials and are limiting the information released while the inquiry is active. Parents or community members with relevant information have been directed to contact the Kyle Police Department, and the district said it will take whatever steps are necessary to protect students, as first reported by MyTexasDaily. If the conduct is deemed reportable under state rules, school officials would also notify the State Board for Educator Certification or the Texas Education Agency, in line with agency guidance.
