Redlands Unified School District Denies Deliberate Failure to Report Teacher-Student Sex

Someone brought concerns to school administration about the Redlands high teacher who is accused of 41 sex felonies with former students before July 1, when Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst was first arrested by Redlands police, according to the Redlands Unified School District superintendent.

But Whitehurst and a Citrus Valley High student, who conceived a baby she gave birth to shortly after he graduated in June, both lied to school administrators when they were questioned separately, RUSD Superintendent Lori Rhodes said in a statement issued over the weekend.

There was "no credible evidence" at that time of anything improper, and it was not reported to police, according to Rhodes.

The school district issued the statement Saturday July 6 in response to news reports suggesting there was a deliberate failure to report the alleged teacher-student sex.

The district's designated spokesperson regarding investigations of Whitehurst, Dr. Brad Mason, assistant superintendent of business services, did not respond Monday July 8 to requests for comment from Redlands-Loma Linda Patch.

Here is the July 6 Redlands Unified School District statement verbatim:

"Statement of Superintendent Lori Rhodes on Recent Media Reports

"Suggestions that the Redlands Unified School District deliberately failed to report an alleged sexual relationship between a teacher and a student are incorrect.

"The district received the first credible information about a possible relationship this past Monday, July 1, when the mother of the alleged victim reported it to the district.

"As required by law, the Redlands Police Department was notified right away. In fact, Assistant Superintendent Sabine Robertson-Phillips spoke with the police immediately after taking the mother's statement and while the mother was still present.

"Prior to the above, an unsubstantiated report based on one person's observations and inferences about a teacher and a student was brought to the administration's attention.

"The person making that report acknowledged that it was speculative and 'presented without evidence of any kind.'

"Nonetheless, the teacher and the student were interviewed separately in an attempt to find out whether there was substance to the person's concerns.

"At that time, not only the teacher but also the student were adamant that nothing improper had occurred, and there was no credible evidence to the contrary.

"However, weeks later, on July 1, when the student's mother came forward to the Citrus Valley High School office, Dr. Robertson-Phillips did not hesitate to call the police.

"Our continued thoughts and prayers are extended to the victims and their families. All employees of the RUSD understand and accept their responsibility to report any reasonable suspicion of abuse. It is a responsibility we take to heart and would never violate.

"We did not violate it in this case.

"The RUSD appreciates that the Redlands Police Department must conduct a thorough investigation of the allegations, and we will cooperate fully to see that all the facts are brought to light."

Whitehurst is now charged with 41 felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation of a person under 18, a District Attorney's spokesman said Monday.

If convicted as charged, she could face up to 29 years in state prison. A downloadable copy of the 25-page criminal complaint against Whitehurst is attached to this report.