© Smith County JailBarbara Lynn Orpineda
Barbara Lynn Orpineda, 31, was arrested Wednesday night on charges of sexual assault of a child and engaging in an improper relationship with a student, news station KLTV reported.
Orpineda was placed on administrative leave from her job as a counselor at Arp Elementary School after the school became aware of the allegations.
Arp Independent School District officials said two parents and a student reported on Oct. 11 that the teacher was sexually involved with a student.
The district launched an internal investigation and reported the allegations to authorities, news station KTRE reported.
"After extensive investigation by the Arp Police Department, in conjunction with detective's from the Smith County Sheriff's Office, along with the Child Advocacy Center of Smith County, it was determined that there was probable cause to believe the allegations were true," police said in a statement.
The counselor was booked Wednesday at Smith County Jail, where she was released on $200,000 bond.
Orpineda taught seventh-grade math for four years before becoming a counselor, according to her personal site.
"I believe, through finding what drives a student, counselors provide a gateway to enhance a child's self-esteem in such a way they do not dwell on the past rather apply their positive and/or negative experience(s) to moving forward," Orpineda wrote on the site.
Article does not say if the 'victim' is male or female nor in what age group. When I was in seventh and eighth grades some of the female staff could certainly 'provide a gateway to enhance my self esteem'.