A middle school teacher in Colorado is facing criminal charges after police say she had a sexual relationship with one of her students for more than a year. Teresa Whalin, 28, worked as a health teacher at Ranch View Middle School in Highlands Ranch, a suburb near Denver. She was arrested after telling police about her relationship with the teenage boy.
According to the New York Post, the relationship started in April 2023 when the student was about 14 years old. That made him 12 years younger than Whalin. Court papers obtained by the Denver Post show that the boy was going through a difficult time with his mental health and was cutting himself when the abuse began.
When police questioned her, Whalin told them she had been in a sexual relationship with the student and that they had exchanged nude photos. Her shocking confession revealed a disturbing year-long pattern of abuse that included sending inappropriate messages on social media and spending time alone together at school.
Things got worse after the relationship ended
The student told investigators that he thought of their relationship as “dating.” He said they exchanged racy Snapchat messages, went out to eat and spent time together in her classroom. But when the boy decided to cut off contact with Whalin, she did not handle it well.
According to court documents, Whalin began following the student around because she “struggled with the breakup.” She would drive past his house and wait for him on his way to and from school. This scared the boy so much that he started taking different routes and asking friends’ families for rides to avoid running into her.
Whalin also admitted to police that she made fake phone numbers to call the student without him knowing it was her. She told officers she thought doing this would make the teen turn to her for help, which shows she was trying to control and manipulate him even after he ended things.
The truth came out on when the student told a school counselor about the sexual relationship. The counselor reported it to authorities right away, and Whalin was arrested that same day. She is now charged with sexual assault on a child by someone in a position of trust, internet exploitation of a child, and stalking.
Whalin started working for the Douglas County School District in July 2021. She is currently being held at the Douglas County Detention Center with her bail set at $50,000, and the school district has placed her on leave.
The principal of Ranch View, Erin Kyllo, sent a letter home to parents letting them know what happened and telling them that the school is looking for a long-term substitute teacher. “In the meantime, the entire Ranch View Middle School administrative team will support our students and ensure learning continues,” Kyllo wrote.
Published: Nov 13, 2025 10:15 pm