According to police, a California high school teacher who was once named “teacher of the year” was arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old student.
Tracy Vanderhulst, a 38-year-old Yucaipa High School maths teacher, was charged with statutory rape on Thursday after an investigation into allegations of sexual intercourse with a minor, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The police have not specified when or where the two allegedly had sex.
The police have not specified when or where the two allegedly had sex.
The victim was described as a 16-year-old Yucaipa High School student, though it is unclear if he is still enrolled there.
Vanderhulst was booked into the San Bernardino County Central Detention Centre.
According to the sheriff’s department, her bail has been set at $30,000.
“Investigators and the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District worked cooperatively to ensure a thorough investigation into this matter was completed,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
Detectives said they believe there may be additional victims.
The sheriff’s department has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them.
According to local reports, the maths teacher was previously named the school’s teacher of the year in 2017.
Vanderhulst, the principal of Yucaipa High School, wrote at the time that she “epitomises the educator so many desire to be- she is the kind and innovative teacher from whom we hope our children will grow; the educator who strives to engage all of her students from her intervention classes to her honours classes.”
Vanderhulst was hired at Yucaipa for the first time in 2013, according to a high school Facebook post.
