HOUSTON – A science teacher at Memorial High School in Houston is accused of providing test answers and perfect grades to a student while they engaged in months-long sexual relationship, according to a criminal complaint.
Stephen Griffin, 46, is facing felony charges for maintaining an illicit relationship with an 18-year-old student, according to a criminal complaint filed in Harris County District Court last month. The school teacher was taken into custody Dec. 7 and later released on $5,000 bond, court records revealed.
The female high school student told Spring Branch ISD Police that she would meet her science teacher for trysts at a hotel and, later, at his apartment during the 2022 and 2023 school year, Fox News Digital reported.
The student’s mother first reported the compromising relationship to school administration toward the end of November 2023. During a preliminary investigation, the female student shared incriminating text messages with Spring Branch ISD Police that occurred between herself and Griffin, according to court records.
The improper relationship began about a year earlier, on Sept. 23, 2022, when the unnamed female student emailed Griffin seeking to join him for lunch in his classroom during his off period. Not long after, the teacher emailed the student his personal cellphone number, telling her they had “similar backgrounds” and offering to be available if she needed help or someone to confide in.
Memorial High School (Google Maps)
The relationship developed as the pair texted back and forth. In November 2022, the girl met with Griffin at the Staybridge Suites Hotel, where they had sex, the complaint revealed.
The female told investigators the two continued to meet there. She also said they once exchanged oral sex in the teacher’s classroom. On another occasion, she said they had sex in the back of her car, which was parked behind a Houston restaurant.
As the sexual relationship continued, the student said her teacher provided her with test answers in advance and gave her 100% scores on all of her assignments. Griffin even gave her his gray staff jacket and a candle that smelled like his cologne as gifts, she declared.
However, the relationship soured and eventually ended midsummer 2023 when Griffin reportedly told her to stop contacting him since he was trying to reconcile with his wife, the victim alleged.
According to the criminal complaint, Griffin was employed as a teacher at Memorial High School at the time of the alleged sexual activity, while he was also in the process of divorcing his wife.
Despite the girl’s age, the alleged sexual misconduct is still prohibited by law since Texas Penal Code 21.12 classifies an improper relationship between an educator and student as a second-degree felony, whether the student victim is legally a minor or not. The offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $10,000 in fines, Fox reported.
At some point during the investigation, a Spring Branch ISD digital forensic technician obtained the student’s phone to search her Snapchat and Signal accounts for correspondence with Griffin.
According to the complaint, one Snapchat message from Griffin on an unknown date read: “We need to talk. I miss you. Can we talk? I’m suicidal right now. Call me. Ok babe. This is how it’s going to be? Don’t do this, call me. Can we talk in person? Want money? I’m about to kill myself. Please call me.”
Griffin’s attorney, Justin Harris told Fox News on Monday, “There’s been no evidence of this whatsoever and we deny the charges. Mr. Griffin has been a model teacher throughout his career and this has blindsided everybody. We have some trails that we’re going down that might explain where these allegations might be coming from.”
“Generally when these things happen,” he continued, “what you read in complaints and what actually ends up happening are usually night and day from each other. They’re on the same planet, but they’re different parts of the same day. We’re waiting to see the evidence in the case. At this time it’s just allegations. If you believe the state’s allegations on their face, this is not a sexual assault case – this was a consensual act between two adults.”
Griffin’s employment status at Memorial High School was not immediately available from Spring Branch ISD officials, although his name remains on the staff directory on the school’s website.
“(This is) a personnel matter involving a criminal investigation. The district cannot confirm the identity of individuals involved at this time,” Spring Branch ISD told ABC 13 last month.
Griffin is scheduled to make a court appearance on Feb. 28, according to online court records.
