Louisiana Has 3rd Highest Rate of Inappropriate Relationships Between Teachers and Students

Louisiana has the third-highest rate of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students in the United States, a problem that is growing across the country.

The Times-Picayune reports there were 23 such cases investigated in Louisiana in 2014 out of 781 nationally. Only Alabama and Kentucky had higher numbers.

Educators describe the problem as an "epidemic".

"We've got to get to the point where everyone understands that this is not acceptable," said Terry Abbott, the former chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Education, now the chairman of Drive West Communications.

For a year Abbott's company tracked the number of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. In 2014 he found 781 cases.

Abbott tells Nola.com "That's 15 cases a week." Louisiana had the third most with 23 cases.

Of the 23 cases reported in Louisiana last year, there was 1 case in Bossier Parish involving a 29-year old female substitute teacher at Parkway High School. Another involved a 60-year-old male teachers aid at Fair Park High School. A third case involved a male teacher at Northwood High School and a 15 year old female student. 11 of the cases were in the New Orleans or Baton Rouge areas. The average age of the student involved was 15.

Alabama and Kentucky had the most. The majority of the cases involved coaches. Of the 781 cases tracked, 157 were coaches.