Hailey Clifton-Carmack, a 26-year-old math teacher at Laquey High School in Missouri, has been arrested and charged with statutory rape for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.
According to the reports, Clifton-Carmack engaged in a sexual relationship with the student and other students served as “lookouts.”
The student’s father, Mark Creighton, is also facing a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child for condoning the relationship.
Police learned of the relationship after another student reported the relationship to a school resource officer. The witness then told police that Clifton-Carmack and the student had sex in the “driveway” of their home.
She was then arrested and charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree statutory rape, sexual contact with a student, and fourth-degree child molestation.
Glamorous math teacher, Hailey Nichelle Clifton-Carmack, is charged with rape for having sex with a 16-year-old student at high school https://t.co/4nx34eNhGF pic.twitter.com/ULZuYuh795
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) January 9, 2024
Clifton-Carmack’s bond was set at $250,000.
“The alleged misconduct is inexcusable and does not meet the professional standards for district employees. The district took immediate action once we were aware of this situation,” district superintendent Kent Stoumbaugh wrote in a statement to ABC 17.
“The employee has not been in the district since December 8, 2023, and we do not anticipate her return.”
Clifton-Carmack had been working at the school for a year and a half, and it was her first teaching job.
Throughout the past few years, a handful of teachers have been arrested on similar charges, including 25-year-old substitute teacher Alexis Mercedes Boberg in Baltimore, Beulah High School teacher Kelsie Schmidt in North Dakota, Rancocas Valley Regional High School teacher Alexandra Reiner in New Jersey, and 50-year-old Florida substitute teacher Angela Jean Stanton in Florida. Additionally, Texas teachers Meredith Null and Edna Longoria were arrested on similar charges.
As for why the number of these incidents has seemingly increased, studies suggest that smartphones are the primary reason for the spike in illicit relationships, as it allows teachers to communicate with the minors without supervision.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make it easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
