A teacher at a Nashville high school has been arrested for developing an inappropriate relationship with a student outside of school, as reported by the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Based on the arrest report, Andrew Cook, a 40-year-old educator at Glencliff High School, allegedly shared personal information with a student, such as problems in his marriage and a lack of intimacy.
According to the report, Cook was informed about the student’s drug use, which he reportedly approved of.
According to the police, the young person confided in Cook, believing him to be trustworthy and having developed feelings for him. During their conversation, she disclosed a past experience of sexual abuse. According to the report, she informed him via text message that she had experienced abuse on two occasions between the ages of 15 and 16.
According to the report, Cook reassured her through the messages that incidents like these are common and that they won’t even matter once she turns 18 years old.
Based on the report, the student confided in Cook about being abused a few months ago, but he failed to report it.
During the interview with law enforcement, Cook was informed that the juvenile had made an attempt on her own life.
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Prior to speaking with Cook, law enforcement inquired about the student and teacher’s relationship with the principal.
According to the principal, it is unusual for teachers and students to communicate via text messages outside of the classroom.
The principal mentioned that he had several discussions with Cook regarding establishing clear boundaries between him and the students.
Cook has been charged by the police for not reporting to law enforcement and for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. On August 9th, he was taken into custody and his bail was set at $10,000.