The Castro County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday said a Hart ISD teacher was arrested the day before for a second-degree felony charge of improper educator student relationship.
Elida Celeste Bonilla, 23, of Dimmitt turned herself in, according to CCSO. Her bond was set at $15,000, and she was released on bond.
Hart ISD Superintendent David Cox reported the allegations to the sheriff’s office on December 21, 2018. An arrest warrant followed the investigation.
Hart ISD released the following statement:
Recently, the Hart ISD Administration received information that a Hart ISD employee may have solicited and/or engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a District student. Pursuant to the District’s customary personnel practices, the District initiated an internal investigation into the allegations of misconduct. After learning the identity of the employee who is the subject of the allegations, the District placed the individual on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation. The allegations of educator misconduct were reported to the Castro County Sheriff’s Office and Child Protective Services according to District policy and practice.
Student safety is a paramount concern to Hart ISD. The District’s policies concerning improper personal relationships between staff and students are strictly enforced, and District employees receive regular training on the prohibitions against soliciting and/or engaging in improper relationships with students. The District’s Administration will continue to cooperate with state and local law enforcement and licensing agencies as needed, to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Castro County Sheriff’s Office will determine whether to pursue criminal charges in this matter. The District’s Administration encourages anyone with information of a suspected improper relationship or the solicitation of such an improper relationship to immediately contact the office of the Superintendent or the Castro County Sheriff’s Office.
State and federal law prohibit the District from disclosing personally identifiable student information, as well as confidential personnel information. Therefore, the District cannot provide further information on this matter. The District takes every allegation of educator misconduct seriously and will take all measures necessary to ensure that its students are educated in a safe and nurturing environment.
