Northview teacher charged

Dothan police arrested a Northview High School teacher Friday on a charge he had sex with one of his students.

Dothan police arrested Calvin Bell-Tharpe, 30, Friday afternoon, and charged him with "felony school employee engaging in a sex act or sexual intercourse with a student under the age of 19."

Attorney Shaun McGhee said his client was taken to jail and held on a $175,000 bond. McGhee, who was retained to represent Bell-Tharpe, said his client will have a bond hearing Monday morning in front of District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis.

McGhee said his client was charged with allegedly having sex with one of his students. He said the alleged offense date was sometime in November 2010.

McGhee said the charge filed against his client is new for the state of Alabama, and is only for school employees charged with having sex with a student. He called the crime a class B felony charge which carries a possible punishment of two to 20 years in prison.