A substitute teacher has been arrested for sexting her male middle school students.
Emily Durden was employed as a substitute teacher at Crest Middle School in Shelby, North Carolina, from November 8th to November 17th. The 19-year-old began sending sexual videos and photos to several 13 and 14-year-old students just four days into the job. One of the students told his parents about the inappropriate messages, who then alerted the school’s resource officer.
An investigation was launched and found that Durden initiated conversations with the students and sent the explicit images soon afterward. During an interview, she admitted to sending the messages. She was arrested on November 18th and charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a student, three counts of displaying material harmful to a minor, and two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Some have questioned whether or not Durden was even qualified to be a substitute teacher. However, a Cleveland County Schools spokesperson explained that she met the minimum requirements since she was over 18-years-old and had graduated high school. While preference is granted to licensed teachers, the school system will employ substitutes deemed “appropriate” by the administration.
Durden was released after posting a $50,000 bond the day after her arrest. She must stay away from the school and the students who received the explicit images.
