BONITA, Calif. -- A Bonita High School music teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with one of his students.
Jason Jerome Mangan-Magabilin, 38, was arrested Wednesday by Chula Vista police on nine counts of oral copulation with a minor and four counts of sexual penetration with a minor.
The victim was a student between the ages of 15 and 17, police said. The alleged relationship occurred about five years ago.
The Sweetwater Union High School District is fully cooperating with investigators and is also conducting its own internal investigation. Mangan was booked into the San Diego County Jail.
Mangan was profiled by the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2010 after winning an “I’m thankful for my teacher” contest.
“Students noted that he goes beyond teaching to make a personal connection with them and shows that he cares about their lives outside of school,” the article reads.
A hand-written note was left on the doormat outside Mangan's home. It said: "If you'd like to leave your card, Jason's attorney will contact you regarding a statement but he will not be making any comment at this time."
Sweetwater Union has dealt with a myriad of allegations regarding inappropriate staff-student relationships at one of its other schools, Mar Vista High. In March and April, three Mar Vista High School staff members were arrested on allegations of having sex with students.
20-year-old Alejandro Rodriguez, a tutor, was arrested March 9 on four felony counts of copulation with a person under 18 years old. Rodriguez was a tutor working for South Bay Community Services. He was not hired by the district, but was an after school tutor.
Forty-eight-year-old Martin Albert Gallegos, a former ROTC instructor, was arrested April 9 on accusations of having sex with a 12th-grade female student on multiple occasions.
Twenty-seven-year-old Edward Aaron Mendoza, a former assistant football coach, was arrested April 12 on accusations of having a sexual relationship with a ninth-grade girl.
Their court cases are still moving forward and at least one trial is set for August.
The district issued the following statement Thursday:
"We appreciate that the public has many questions regarding the recent arrests in the District pertaining to alleged inappropriate contacts between students and staff. The District is currently actively working with law enforcement on each of these matters. The District is committed to assisting law enforcement and conducting thorough personnel investigations in each matter, so we are not able to provide further comment at this time. We appreciate your understanding and respect of the District’s commitment to protect the integrity of all pending investigations during these challenging circumstances. We ask that you allow our staff to focus their attention during these trying times on the learning environment of our students."
