HS coach who described teaching as 'dream' job arrested for sexual misconduct with handful of students
A Minnesota high school gym teacher was arrested after three female students accused him of sexual misconduct that dates back to when he first began working for the school district, reports show.
The Winona Police Department arrested Eric Birth, 29, last Thursday on accusations he had sexual relationships with three students when they were between the ages of 16 and 18 at Winona Area Public Schools. He is accused of carrying out sexual misconduct with the three students in 2016, 2017 and 2022, according to court records reported by Fox 9.
Winona Area Public Schools hired Birth in 2016 as a high school coach, before he became a full-time physical education teacher in 2021, according to the outlet. The three students each told investigators that Birth was their track coach when the sexual relationships allegedly began.
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Authorities were tipped off to the alleged misconduct last year, when someone filed an anonymous complaint that Birth was having a sexual relationship with a student. That student initially denied the relationship to police, forcing authorities to close the case before the student told authorities this year that she did have a sexual relationship with the track coach, according to court records.
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The student told police that she allegedly received text messages from Birth in 2022, and that the pair eventually met up in his car and had sex. The girl added that following the encounter, Birth tried "to persuade her to have a relationship."
The student’s statement was soon followed by two other girls who attended the school and said they had sexual relationships with Birth. The three girls were all experiencing personal issues and had confided in their track coach ahead of the alleged sexual relationships, Fox 9 reported.
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The second female student said that she exchanged flirty texts with Birth before having a sexual relationship with him in 2016.
The other student said she had a sexual relationship with him in 2017, and that Birth even warned her that school officials might call her about the relationship. Court documents show that the student, at the time, was contacted by the principal regarding the alleged relationship, but she denied Birth carried out any misconduct, Fox 9 reported.
Two witnesses also told authorities they reportedly saw a video of one of the victims performing a sex act on Birth when they used the track coach’s phone during practice.
A local news report from 2021 touted Birth as a teacher working to "inspire his students to find confidence in themselves, their voice, and their place in their school." The report noted that Birth is a 2013 graduate of the high school, and that becoming a teacher was "a dream come true."
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"My goal as a teacher is to create a culture of trust and respect to empower, enable and equip my students with the confidence needed to speak up, advocate for themselves, and share their voice when faced with difficult situations when they feel pushed aside, devalued and disengaged," Birth told the outlet at the time.
Birth was placed on administrative leave in January, with the school urging anyone with information on the cases to contact the Winona Police Department.
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"We understand that this news may be shocking and concerning to our school community. Please know that all school district employees are subject to a thorough background check before being hired, and are also required to complete training to reinforce policy, procedure, and our legal requirements as mandatory reporters," the school said in a statement Friday.
He was charged with four counts of 3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct.