Teacher’s bond is lowered

Published 8:54 pm Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Former Selma High School teacher Charlaina Lee Wilson made her first appearance in court Tuesday.

Wilson was charged Friday with school employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years, rape second degree, sodomy second degree, transmitting obscene material to a child by computer and distributing material harmful to minors. She had her bond reduced Tuesday from $1,006,000 to $100,000.

“We were opposed to that given the serious nature of the charges,” said Dallas County district attorney Michael Jackson. “We wanted the bond to be real high. We want a safe environment for these students, so we were opposed to the bond reduction.”

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Alston Keith is serving as Wilson’s attorney in the case. He said he had asked Judge Robert Armstrong to reduce the bond to a fair amount.

“Way off the charts, it should’ve never been that high,” Keith said.

If Wilson is able to post bond, she will have to meet several conditions. She is not allowed to have contact with the alleged victim, she cannot go to Selma High School and she cannot have any contact with any student at Selma High School.

Lt. Sam Miller with the Selma Police Department said the 33-year-old was arrested Friday after a sexually explicit video of her performing a solo sex act was circulated among students at the school.

According to a press release from the Selma Police Department, officers learned during the investigation that the teacher allegedly had intercourse with a student multiple times and at different locations, including at the school.

Miller said Wilson has been employed at Selma High School since January 2016. The video was recorded in April, Miller said, but began to make the rounds last week.

Miller said the relationship between Wilson and the 15-year-old student has been ongoing for at least six months.

Selma City Schools Superintendent Angela Mangum said Friday that Wilson had resigned. Mangum sent out a statement through a press release Friday afternoon.

“Once the incident was reported, swift and immediate action was taken to remove the teacher from the school to ensure the safety of students,” Mangum said. “ As the superintendent, it is my responsibility to protect all students from harm. I will not tolerate any misconduct towards students, and I will promptly act in their defense.”

Jackson said a preliminary hearing date has been scheduled for Wilson on Oct. 11 at 9 a.m.