Ex-Teacher Allegedly Sexually Assaulted 17-Year-Old Student Who Was Scared She 'Would Fail Him'

A former Florida high school teacher is accused of sexually assaulting one of her students who told authorities he believed she would fail him if he didn't have sex with her.

Meghan Mary Rodriguez, 37, was arrested Thursday and charged with sexual assault, according to online jail records. She left jail on a $15,000 bond the following day. 

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip in early March that Rodriguez had sex with a 17-year-old student last summer, according to the Pensacola News Journal. She was a teacher at Navarre High School in Navarre at the time of the alleged incident. She resigned from her job on May 28 amid an investigation into her conduct, local outlet WEAR reported.

The student told authorities that he and Rodriguez texted each other frequently and communicated through Instagram in the lead up to the alleged assault, local outlet WKRG reported.

Meghan Mary Rodriguez Photo: Santa Rosa County Jail

At some point, the messages between the student and Rodriguez turned sexual. He claimed that Rodriguez ultimately initiated sexual contact with him at the school in the summer of 2019, according to an arrest report obtained by the Pensacola News Journal. The student allegedly said the assault happened on one occasion during a "summer practice” when he was meeting with Rodriguez in her classroom.

"[The victim] insisted that this only occurred once and he regretted it afterwards," the arrest report stated. He said he was scared that Rodriguez “would fail him" if he did not have sex with her.

Rodriguez allegedly contended to school officials that she had only kissed the boy and did not have sex with him, WEAR reported. It is not clear if she has a lawyer available for comment.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Rosa County School District have not immediately returned Oxygen.com’s request for comment.