WEST JORDAN — A Bennion Junior High School science teacher has been arrested for what the Granite School District called "improper conduct with students."
Mitchell Scott Hughes, 40, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on two counts of forcible sexual abuse of a child, sexual exploitation of a minor and dealing in material harmful to a minor.
West Jordan police executed a search warrant at Hughes' home Thursday night and seized pornographic materials and computer disks.
Police began investigating after several students stepped forward and told the principal about concerns they had with Hughes.
Martin Bates, district assistant superintendent for human resources, said Hughes was allegedly using the school computer to look up pornography.
Capt. Randy Johnson, West Jordan police, said the charges stem from an incident at Hughes' home involving a student.
Both police and district officials remained tight-lipped Friday on what they believe happened.
Johnson said for a person to be charged with forcible sexual abuse of a child, it would have to involve a person under the age of 18 being inappropriately touched.
A person is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor when a person under the age of 18 is shown pornographic material such as pictures or magazines, said Johnson.
Hughes had been a teacher with the Granite district since 1991.
Hughes was disciplined by the school district last year for giving a student a ride without proper authorization, said Bates. Bates does not believe, however, the student involved in that incident is also the victim in this case.
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