Ocean Springs High School teacher arrested over relationship with student, sheriff says

Martha Sanchez
·2 min read
2

Authorities arrested an Ocean Springs High School physics teacher on Thursday after investigators confirmed he had “an inappropriate relationship with a student,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said in a news release.

James Hawkins, 38, is charged with one count of sexual battery, according to the release. He was arrested Thursday afternoon and has since been fired by the district.

James Hawkins, 38, is charged with one count of sexual battery.
James Hawkins, 38, is charged with one count of sexual battery.

Hawkins is in jail in Jackson County. The release said an investigation is ongoing and Hawkins could face further charges. It did not provide additional information.

The Ocean Springs School District said it fired Hawkins Thursday night after school officials learned of his arrest. Hawkins had worked at Ocean Springs High School since July 2022, according to a LinkedIn profile. OSSD spokesman Trey Brennan confirmed Hawkins was in his second year of employment.

“We are working with investigators and will assist them in any way possible,” the district said in the statement. “The safety of our students and staff members remains the highest priority of OSSD and the charges against Hawkins are disturbing and intolerable.”

In April, authorities arrested a former Ocean Springs Middle School substitute teacher who was on contract employment with an outside firm after a student accused him of inappropriately touching her and sending her explicit messages over Snapchat.

Earlier this month, Jackson County authorities also charged a former Moss Point school resource officer, School Board member and one-time Moss Point mayoral candidate with sex crimes against a 17-year-old.

Before teaching at Ocean Springs High School, Hawkins worked in physics as a graduate student at Mississippi State University, according to his LinkedIn. His profile said he obtained a bachelor’s degree at the university between 2005 and 2019 and worked at various times as a professor’s assistant and physics lab graduate teaching assistant.

The sheriff’s office asked anyone with information on the case to call Captain Kristen Johnson at 228-769-7559. OSSD asked anyone with information or who knows of other potential victims to call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 228-769-3063 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.