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Federal Way teacher charged with child rape

KING COUNTY, Wash. — A Federal Way middle school math teacher who is accused of raping a student has been charged with three counts of second-degree child rape.

According to court documents, Glenfield Arthur Watkins of Tacoma allegedly raped a student repeatedly in his classroom at Totem Middle School, located in Kent, between 2015 and 2016. He was 55 at the time.

Watkins told the student she was cute and beautiful, and that is when the relationship progressed, according to court papers.

It was not until early April of 2020 that investigators found out about the allegations against Watkins, documents state. The teen revealed to a mentor what happened during a meeting. That mentor told her boss, who then reported it to the school district’s administration.

Watkins was placed on leave by the district.

When police were contacted, they interviewed the teen who said it all started when she was 13-year-old and in the seventh grade, court papers state.

Police also interviewed Watkins who told them the teen was his student in the seventh and eighth grades, and he tutored her in math most days after school but denied any sexual relationship with the girl, according to court records.

Watkins is scheduled to appear in court in Kent next Tuesday afternoon.

The Federal Way School District released a statement that said in part it is “cooperating with law enforcement” and that “the student who reported the allegations was connected with support resources.”