Police photo Raquel Spencer
Raquel Spencer, a cheerleading coach and English teacher at a school near Dalton, Georgia, is accused of bringing heroin to school and having a sexual relationship with a student.
The arrest of Spencer is but the latest in a string of cases in the United States in which female teachers were accused of having sexual relationships with students. The case of Spencer, 28, carries the unusual twist of the drug angle. Spencer also goes by the full name of Raquel Eleana Spencer.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Spencer Is Accused of ‘Exhibiting Unusual Behavior’ at School
Spencer was a teacher at Northwest Whitfield High School near Dalton, Ga. According to The Chattanooga County News, “a staff member at Northwest Whitfield High School reported that Raquel Spencer was ‘exhibiting unusual behavior.'” That account came from the district’s spokesperson.
Administrators brought Spencer to the school office and asked her to allow a search, which she did, the newspaper reported. That’s when a resource officer allegedly “found an illegal substance which led to her arrest,” reported the Chattanooga County News.
Police allege that the substance was heroin. According to The Daily Citizen News, the district spokesman stated that “administrators went to check on the teacher and escorted her to the office. Since the safety of our students and staff is a top priority in our schools, the (school resource officer) asked the teacher if she would consent to a search. The teacher consented to the search. The officer found an illegal substance which led to her arrest.”
2. Authorities Allege That Spencer Texted a Student Messages With Sexual Content
After the heroin arrest, authorities say they made another surprising discovery: They are accusing Spencer of also engaging in a sexual relationship with a student.
That relationship was found out when authorities searched Spencer’s cell phone and found messages involving sexual contact with a student, according to The Times Free Press.
The newspaper reported that authorities allege Spencer was involved with the student for a year.
3. Spencer Was Also a Coach at the School
In addition to being an English teacher, Spencer also held several coaching positions at the Georgia school. “Spencer also coached the track and cheerleading teams this year,” reported The Times Free Press.
The Daily Citizen News reported that Spencer was “an assistant cheerleader coach and assistant girls track and field coach…she was hired by the school system in January 2013.”
According to WRCB, student Justin Gentry said he “was in band class and I caught the tail end of the cops escorting her out to the cop car. They had her in handcuffs and there were a couple of detectives.”
4. Spencer Called Herself a ‘Forced Extrovert by Calling’
On Facebook, Raquel Spencer called herself an “Odd ball ?, easily amused, forced extrovert by calling: teacher- despite stress, love it w/all my ❤️.” She is from Lawrenceville, Georgia.
In 2017, she wrote on Facebook, “One of my newest experiences: becoming a cheer leading coach at Northwest. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity with my football competition team and my enthusiastic basketball team- both completely full of beautiful girls, inside and out.”
In response to a comment, she added, “O never thought I’d be in this position, enjoying cheer lol; the tomboy in me ?s the pure athleticism of it ?????♀️??♀️??♂️.”
5. Multiple Female Teachers in the United States Have Ended Up in Trouble With the Law
TwitterShawnetta Reece.
Female teachers or educational professionals ending up in mugshots has become a too common phenomenon over the past few years.
Cassandra White, an English teacher in Oklahoma, was even accused of taking out a marriage license with a teenage boy. Hunter Day, an Oklahoma teacher, was accused of sending nude photos to a student. Among other recent cases: Loryn Barclay, a former substitute teacher at a Missouri High School, was accused of having sexual contact multiple times with a 17-year-old boy. Shawnetta Reece, a gym teacher from Georgia, was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old boy.
Tracy Miller, a West Virginia teacher, was accused of sending nude photos to students. Nataly Lopez, a 27-year-old former substitute teacher at a middle school in New Jersey, was accused of having sexual contact with a student. Lindsey Jarvis, a 27-year-old middle school teacher’s aide, was accused of the rape and sodomy of a student who was under the age of 16. Jarvis was arrested in Fayette County, Kentucky, on June 16. Then there’s Laura Ramos. She is a 31-year-old Connecticut high school teacher who is accused of having sex with a special education student. And there’s Tiffany Geliga.
