Nimitz teacher resigns

A Nimitz Junior High Spanish teacher accused of exchanging inappropriate messages with a student resigned Wednesday but no criminal charges will be filed, ECISD officials said Friday afternoon.

On Nov. 18, ECISD administrators received accusations of misconduct by Elizabeth Velasco, 35, relating to communications between her and a student.

That day, Velasco was placed on paid administrative leave and the district's police department began an investigation. The investigation did reveal texts between the teacher and a student but didn't reveal a criminal act, ECISD Communications Director Mike Adkins said.

Adkins said the texts were of an “intimate and personal nature” but there wasn’t evidence they violated state law. He would not elaborate on the specific content of the texts.

Under the statute, an educator commits the offense of improper relationship between an educator and student via online solicitation if “with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person” he or she “communicates in a sexually explicit manner with a minor” or “distributes sexually explicit material to a minor,” and that student is enrolled in the educator’s school.

District administrators said the teacher's actions violated the Texas Educator's Code of Ethics, and Adkins said she likely would have faced repercussions had she not resigned.