Longtime Mounds View High School Teacher Charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct
A longtime teacher at Mounds View High School in Arden Hills has been charged with criminal sexual conduct involving a 16-year-old female student. Ted Matthew Bennett, 58, of Minneapolis, has been a teacher at the school for 27 years and was arrested on Tuesday. He remains in jail ahead of his first court appearance, which is scheduled for Thursday.
Ted Matthew Bennett (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigation and Charges
Bennett has been charged with one count each of third- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges stem from an investigation that began on Monday when law enforcement responded to a report of an “inappropriate relationship” between Bennett and the student. The investigation revealed that Bennett was involved in a sexual relationship with the girl and provided her with alcohol and narcotics.
The teen told law enforcement that she and Bennett communicated through their personal phones and email since the end of the 2024-2025 school year. She described having a “light” conversation with Bennett over the summer, which continued into the current school year. A forensic search of her phone revealed a “significant amount” of evidence that Bennett had sexual contact with the teen on multiple occasions.
School Response and Investigation
Mounds View High School principal Rob Reetz said in an email to parents that the school is “deeply disturbed” by the news and that their “foremost concern is for all who may be affected by this distressing situation.” Reetz also stated that the school “stands with all survivors of sexual assault and abuse” and “unequivocally condemns any actions that harm or exploit students.”
The school has cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation, providing an initial report and video evidence of Bennett and the teen walking together in school hallways and going into a storage closet together. Email contact between Bennett and the teen using their school email addresses was also located.
Community Response and Next Steps
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi called the case “a parent’s worst nightmare” and stated that “a teacher using drugs, alcohol, and authority to exploit a vulnerable student is abhorrent.” Choi emphasized that schools must be a safe place for students and that his office will not tolerate abuse of power or the sexual exploitation of youth.
The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office has opened a tip line for others to come forward if they have any information about the case or if they believe they may have been a victim of Bennett’s. The investigation is ongoing, and Bennett’s arrest and charges serve as a reminder of the importance of holding those in positions of authority accountable for their actions.
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