A Miami Jackson Senior High teacher was arrested Thursday for allegedly having a sexual relationship with one of her students, Miami Police said.
Waleska Velasquez, 29, has been charged with three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor for her illicit relationship with a 16-year-old boy for nearly a year, an arrest report stated.
During the tryst, Velasquez would give the teen cash and gifts, detectives said. They also found nude pictures and handwritten letters sent by Velasquez to the boy, a police report stated.
Police said the relationship started in 2009 and continued until sometime in 2010.
Velasquez taught special education at Miami Jackson and police said the boy was a student of hers.
On adoptaclassroom.org , Velasquez wrote "Our classes must be both hands-on and minds-on in order to achieve our learning goals."
She has worked at Miami Jackson since 2007, Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials said.
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"School district staff is regularly reminded that personal relationships with students are unethical and forbidden by School Board rule, and may be illegal, as in this instance," spokesman John Schuster said ina statement. "The district will work toward a swift termination of this employee."
The Department of Children and Families initially alerted authorities about the relationship, police said.
Velasquez confessed to the improper dealings with the student, police said.
Velasquez left Miami-Dade County jail Thursday evening after posting bond. It was not immediately known if she had an attorney.
