A California high school educator once named “teacher of the year” was arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old student, according to police.
Tracy Vanderhulst, a 38-year-old math teacher at Yucaipa High School, was charged with statutory rape on Thursday following an investigation into allegations that she had sexual intercourse with a minor, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
Police did not say when or where the two allegedly had sex.
The victim was described as a 16-year-old high school student at Yucaipa High School, although it’s not clear if he is still a student there.
Vanderhulst was booked into Central Detention Center in San Bernardino.
Her bail was set at $30,000, according to the sheriff’s department.
“Investigators and the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District worked cooperatively to ensure a thorough investigation into this matter was completed,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
Detectives said they believe there may be additional victims.
The sheriff’s department asked anyone with additional information regarding the incident to contact them.
The math teacher had previously been named the school’s teacher of the year in 2017, according to local reports.
Vanderhulst, the Yucaipa High School principal wrote at the time, “epitomizes the educator so many desire to be- she is the kind and innovative teacher from whom we hope our children will grow; the educator who strives to engage all of her students from her intervention classes to her honors classes.”
According to a Facebook post from the high school, Vanderhulst was first hired at Yucaipa in 2013.