Longmont teacher “groomed” student

A Longmont high school teacher has been arrested after police say he “groomed” a student before entering into a sexual relationship with her once she graduated.

Kelly Wayne Burns, 49, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, with one of the counts also alleging a pattern of sexual abuse.

Burns was a special education teacher at Silver Creek High School when the victim in the case was a student from 2012 to 2015. Burns at one point was also the girls’ tennis coach for the school.

Matthew Wiggins, St. Vrain Valley School District’s director of communications, would not say whether or not Burns was still a teacher with the district, saying the school would not comment on a personnel matter.

The district would also not comment on a school human resources investigation into the allegations. Police say Burns admitted to the district that he had a sexual relationship with the student after she graduated.

He is no longer listed on the school’s website, but a Burns Kelly was listed as a special education teacher on the site as recently as April 5, according to a web archives search.

According to an arrest affidavit, a female student had Burns for a class in her sophomore year, 2012 to 2013. During that time, the student said Burns — who is married — began flirting with her and that in her classes with him he would sit her next to his desk and rub her leg.

The student then told Longmont police that during her junior year, he “became obsessed with her,” and began telling her he wanted to have sex with her. The student told police Burns would touch her inappropriately and that he began driving her to and from school.