A Louisiana teacher was arrested after he was accused of exchanging inappropriate text messages with a minor during school hours.
The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Akeem Treyshaun Broussard was booked on Tuesday, November 10, and charged with indecent behavior with juveniles after school administrators reported he exchanged inappropriate text messages with a student, according to Acadia News First.
Broussard, 24, was taken into custody at Iberia Parish Jail before he was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Authorities said that he is currently being held in custody without bond.
Authorities learned of the allegations when the St. Mary Parish School Board contacted a school resource officer with the sheriff’s office about a teacher who had been accused of having inappropriate communication with a teen. The school board added that the teacher – who has since been identified as Broussard – and the student had their inappropriate exchange on October 26.
Police have not released the name of the school that received the report about Broussard. It’s also not currently clear if the minor was one of Broussard’s students.
After the allegations were first reported, an officer reviewed the evidence before they contacted detectives with the sheriff’s office to further investigate.
Detectives went on to review the communication between Broussard and a teen, which have been described as private texts that were sent during school hours and were sexual in nature.
Following Broussard’s arrest, St. Mary Parish Public Schools issued a statement acknowledging that it is aware of the situation and of the allegations made about the teacher.
Superintendent Rachael Sanders confirmed that the teacher was no longer employed by St. Mary Parish Public Schools following his arrest, and she added that allegations of misconduct involving students will never be ignored or hidden from parents.
“The promise to keep our students safe means it is our responsibility to act—not to look the other way,” Sanders wrote in a statement, which was shared via the school district’s Facebook page.
The statement concluded, “Concerns regarding student safety and well-being should be reported to school personnel, to law enforcement, or through our online anonymous reporting app.”
It’s not currently clear if Broussard has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest. The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding updates in the case.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
Parents, teachers, and guardians interested in learning more about protecting children from exploitation can find useful tools and information at Know2Protect.
