A longtime Mounds View High School teacher appeared before a judge instead of his English classes Wednesday.
That's after being charged for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year old female student.
58-year-old Ted Bennett has been a teacher at Mounds View for 27 years. Ramsey County attorney John Choi says the investigation uncovered deeply disturbing facts that he calls 'a parent's worst nightmare.'
Those facts involved illegal sexual contact, drugs, alcohol, and explicit phone texts and conversations according to the criminal complaint. There are also allegations of sexual acts taking place at the school.
On or around November 10, records show that Bennett told the student that he was put on administrative leave and to "lie to them and delete everything."
Choi says a teacher using drugs, alcohol, and authority to exploit a vulnerable student is abhorrent.
He adds that schools must be a safe place for students and that they will not tolerate abuse of power or the sexual exploitation of young people.