VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Volusia County high school teacher was arrested after he was accused of having inappropriate sexual activity with a student during the school day.
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Port Orange police said Arin Hankerd had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student at Atlantic High School.
Port Orange police said Hankerd both exposed himself on Instagram to the student and engaged in inappropriate sexual activity during the school day at Atlantic High School.
Officers said the girl’s parents contact them after reading concerning entries in their daughter’s journal.
Officials said Hankerd has worked at the school as a teacher and gym coach for about two years. Hankerd was at Mainland High School and Father Lopez Catholic High School before that.
The district confirmed Sunday night that Hankerd has been suspended indefinitely.
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Jennifer Von Hein said Hankerd was her history teacher when she was a junior at Mainland High School back in 2014. Back then, she said, Hankerd said or did things that made her uncomfortable, which she reported to the principal.
More than nine years later, Von Hein said she’s not surprised Hankerd is now facing charges. She said she wonders why he stayed employed with the district for all these years and said she wants to see accountability
“People need to come forward. If he’s said anything, done anything to you he needs to be held accountable for his actions,” she said.
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According to Port Orange police, they found two separate complaint cases while Hankerd was a teacher at Mainland. One student said Hankerd made her feel uncomfortable by hugging her, and the other alleges he touched a juvenile inappropriately, but both investigations found no criminal action.
The school district released a statement saying: “The safety and security of our students and staff is of utmost importance to us and as such, we will be cooperating fully with the local authorities as part of this investigation.”
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