Texas teacher sentenced to 60 days in jail for sexual abuse of student

Marka Bodine, 32, who is a former 6th grade teacher in Texas, has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for sexually abusing an underage student.

Bodine’s sentence also included 10 years of deferred adjudication probation.  Bodine’s case will be dismissed provided that she doesn’t re-offend during her probation. Bodine will also be required to register as a sex offender after her sentence has been completed.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Bodine started her relationship with the boy when he was 13. The Sheriff’s office also confirmed that Bodine sent the student sexually explicit pictures and videos.

FOX 26 reported that there was some outrage in the community of Tomball, where the offense took place, that Bodine’s sentence was far too lenient.

Many hit out at Harris County Judge Greg Glass over the small sentence. Some have pointed to a similar case where Britney Zamora, a former Arizona school teacher, was given a 20-year sentence for engaging in a relationship with a 13-year old student. She was sentenced in November 2021.

Assistant District Attorney Jana Oswald had requested that the judge hand down a 20 to 40-year sentence, “given the seriousness of her crime and the lasting effects of the crime and the impact on the child’s life.”

“Children are the most vulnerable members of our society. It is our duty to protect them, not harm them,” the DA said.