A Louisiana teacher at Broussard Middle School – who was previously named Teacher of the Year in September 2025 – has been arrested and charged with child sex crimes.
Christie Oster was arrested on Wednesday, January 28, and charged with indecent behavior with juveniles and carnal knowledge of a juvenile, according to online records viewed by Us Weekly. She was released one day later on a $50,000 bond.
Lafayette Police said that Oster, 38, allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a former student, according to KLFY. However, no other details have been shared about the alleged relationship or how old the victim is.
The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment. It is not currently clear if Oster has entered a plea or retained legal representation following her arrest.
Oster is an eighth-grade math teacher at the middle school and she was named the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year just four months before she was arrested.
An LPSS spokesperson confirmed to KLFY that Oster has been placed on leave in light of the arrest.
Following news of her arrest, resident Rebekah Vallot shared her frustration with the ongoing reports of abuse in educational settings while speaking to KATC. “Initial reaction is anger and frustration. I’m tired of opening the news and reading about professions taking advantage of our children,” she said.
Vallot added that the crime should still be considered serious even though it was reported that Oster was involved with a “former student.” She said, “You put the word ‘former’ in front of a student and it still is a student. Former, current, future — it doesn’t matter, it’s wrong.”
Oster’s arrest has reignited calls for increased classroom surveillance, while Vallot urged school officials to install cameras to ensure the safety of the students. “It is far beyond time. We have the technology to do so, we have the funding to do so – the cameras need to go in now,” she said.
Vallot also encouraged parents to have open communication with their children in order to prevent instances like this. “The best advice I can give parents is you are the number one advocate for your child. No one else will do that for you,” she said.
Those who are found guilty of indecent behavior with juveniles in Louisiana state can be fined up to $5,000, imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than seven years or both, according to the Louisiana State Legislature.
Meanwhile, the sentence for those found guilty of the carnal knowledge of a juvenile charge depends on whether the offense is classified as a felony or a misdemeanor. That will ultimately be determined based on the age difference between the parties.
According to the Louisiana State Legislature, a “misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile is committed when a person who is seventeen years of age or older has sexual intercourse, with consent, with a person who is thirteen years of age or older but less than seventeen years of age, when the victim is not the spouse of the offender, and when the difference between the age of the victim and age of the offender is greater than two years, but less than four years.”
Read the full article here
