--- description: A former teacher is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, involving motels stays and sexually graphic messages title: Former Teacher Accused of Sexual Relationship With Student image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdda730024781fbfa/6988f43a656a3f0552bd2c29/samantha-fitzpatrick-student-teacher-arrested1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Crime](/tag/crime/) ## Crime Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Former High School Teacher Is Accused of Having a Sexual Relationship With a 17-Year-Old Student by [Lisa Marie Segarra](/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 7, 2017 6:04 PM CUT  Fond Du Lac Country Sheriff's Office by [Lisa Marie Segarra](/author/lisa-marie-segarra/) ## Lisa Marie Segarra Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 7, 2017 6:04 PM CUT A 28-year-old former English teacher from Wisconsin is accused of having an sexual relationship with a student, which allegedly involved staying in motels and sending graphic messages. Ripon Police found evidence of “sexual role-playing and acknowledged feelings of love” between teacher Samantha J. Fitzpatrick and the 16-year-old male student, [according to the Fond du Lac _Reporter._](http://www.fdlreporter.com/story/news/2017/12/06/former-ripon-high-school-teacher-accused-sexual-relationship-17-year-old-student/926319001/ "undefined") Fitzpatrick allegedly made 67 phone calls to the student and shared sexually graphic [Facebook messages](http://time.com/4469094/facebook-messenger-tips-hidden-inbox/ "undefined"), according to the report. A teacher told police that the student would sit next to the teacher’s desk and that the two talked during class time when she was supposed to be teaching, [WBAY reported](http://www.wbay.com/content/news/Former-Ripon-teacher-charged-with-sex-assault-of-student-462304613.html "undefined"). A student also told police that the teacher and teen had “done stuff” at a hotel, according to the report. Both Fitzpatrick and the student have denied having an inappropriate or physical relationship. Fitzpatrick initially resigned from her posting at Ripon High School after administrators were concerned about her attendance record, according to the _Reporter._ Sheis facing charges, including sexual assault of a student by school staff, child enticement, exposing a child to harmful material and obstructing an officer. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5054119/teacher-student-sexual-relationship/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5054119/teacher-student-sexual-relationship/"},"headline":"A Former High School Teacher Is Accused of Having a Sexual Relationship With a 17-Year-Old Student","datePublished":"2017-12-07T18:04:55.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T18:29:29.925Z","description":"The relationship allegedly involved motel stays and sexually graphic messages","url":"https://time.com/5054119/teacher-student-sexual-relationship/","keywords":["Crime","Wisconsin","onetime","onetimecrime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdda730024781fbfa/6988f43a656a3f0552bd2c29/samantha-fitzpatrick-student-teacher-arrested1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lisa Marie Segarra","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/lisa-marie-segarra/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdda730024781fbfa/6988f43a656a3f0552bd2c29/samantha-fitzpatrick-student-teacher-arrested1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Samantha-Fitzpatrick-student-teacher-arrested","caption":"","creditText":"Fond Du Lac Country Sheriff's Office","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/crime/","name":"Crime"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5054119/teacher-student-sexual-relationship/","name":"A Former High School Teacher Is Accused of Having a Sexual Relationship With a 17-Year-Old Student"}}]}] ```