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April 13, 2009

Orangefield teacher resigns after indictments on sex charges

By Gabriel Pruett

The News staff writer

ORANGEFIELD — The Orangefield Independent School District was able to put off a specially called meeting of the board of trustees Monday when Superintendent Phillip Welch accepted a letter of resignation from junior high teacher/coach Jennifer Burton.

Burton was indicted recently on three counts of sexual assault and three counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

Burton, 39, turned herself into the Orange County Jail late Thursday and posted bail. Bail was set at $15,000 on each count of sexual assault and $10,000 on each count of improper relationship.

Both cases are 2nd degree felony offenses with a range of punishment from two years probation to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 for each count. All of the indictments contain multiple counts.

The indictment said the cases “cover a period from September 2008 through November 2008. Burton was a teacher/coach at Orangefield Junior High School and the victim was a student of that school.”

Orangefield Independent School District officials placed Burton on leave on March 30 after learning of the matter and that a criminal investigation had been initiated.

Burton is a 1987 graduate of Orangefield High School, has been teaching within the district since 2003 and has a daughter who attends Orangefield Junior High School in the eighth grade. As part of her job, she coached volleyball, basketball and track.

The school board was set to meet Monday evening in a special meeting to possibly suspend or terminate Burton’s position at the school.

“The letter of resignation will enable Orangefield ISD to move forward and attempt to put this unfortunate incident behind us,” Welch said in a press release Monday afternoon. “Every measure will continue to be taken to assure that students are educated in a safe and secure school environment.”

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