Pinterest/Natasha PatronskyPatronsky pictured on her Pinterest page.
Natasha Patronsky, a Spanish teacher at Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama, has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. According to a statement from the Montgomery Police Department, Patronsky, 24, has been under investigation since November 16. Officials said she is charged with “engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Patronsky Turned Herself in to Police on November 28
Facebook/Natasha Patronsky
The suspect resigned from Lanier High School on November 20. On November 28, Patronsky turned herself into the Montgomery Police Department and was held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility. Her bail was set at $7,500. The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Ann Roy Moore, said in a statement, via WSFA, “We are shocked to hear of this allegation. We support law enforcement in their work to get to the truth in this matter. Any person found guilty of putting a child’s safety at risk, should be punished to the full extent of the law.”
2. Patronsky Was Hired by the School District on August 2
Twitter/Natasha Patronsky
Patronsky was hired by the local school district on August 2, reports the Montgomery Advertiser. The alleged sexual abuse perpetrated by Patronsky occurred on November 8. The school district’s senior communication officer, Tom Salter, told the newspaper, “We are shocked to hear of this allegation. We support law enforcement in their work to get to the truth in this matter. Any person found guilty of putting a child’s safety at risk, should be punished to the full extent of the law.” The Advertiser report adds that Patronsky did not have a license or certificate to teach in the state of Alabama. It is not unusual for schools to hire people without proper credentials, with temporary certificates available.
3. Patronsky Calls Herself a ‘Midwest Born Christian’ on Instagram
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As news of Patronsky’s arrest spread, the former teacher deleted her Facebook and Instagram pages while setting her Twitter account to private. A view of Patronsky’s cached Instagram page sees her identify herself as being a “Midwest bornChristian.” Patronsky also describes herself as a “Wanderer,” “Cheerleader” and writes, “Travel is life.” At the time her page was deleted, Patronsky had more than 1500 followers. Patronsky simply wrote in her Twitter bio that she is a “Student at South Alabama.” That page gives her location as Fairhope, Alabama.
4. Prior to Teaching High School Spanish, Patronsky Was a 2nd Grade Teacher
Patronsky was formerly a second-grade homeroom teacher at Coronado International School in Panama. Prior to becoming a teacher, Patronsky worked a range of different jobs including working at as a waitress and at a Cracker Barrel. Patronsky studied International and Global Studies as well as Spanish at the University of South Alabama. She graduated in December 2016. Patronsky wrote on the page that she was seeking employment in the field of business.
5. It’s Texas that Leads the Way in Prosecuting Teachers Accused of Abusing Students
In November 2016, Texas State Representative Tony Dale sought to pass legislation that would prevent, as Dale says, teachers merely resigning and moving. Dale said of his legislation, “HB 218 increases penalties and close loopholes that allow educators who engage in inappropriate relationships to resign and obtain employment in another district. This bill seeks to allow Texas the tools we need to get rid of teachers who prey on our children.”
Slate reported that female educators make up 4 percent of convicted rapists in teacher/student sexual assault cases in 2006. While in 2016, former Department of Education chief of staff, Terry Abbott, wrote in the Washington Post that teacher/student sexual assault cases were on the rise. For example, in Kentucky in 2011, the state saw the number of such cases nearly double.
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