DEMOPOLIS &8212; Former Demopolis High teacher and coach Nathan Wesley Hallman may not end up as famous as Debra LaFave or Mary Kay LeTourneau.

A court of law hasn&8217;t decided whether Hallman is guilty of sleeping with one of his minor female students, but the charges against him are a reminder that inappropriate relationships can develop between teachers and their students.

Often, a community is left to wonder &8212; whose fault is it when a teacher and student go too far?

Area school officials say that they look for signs when interviewing someone &8212; whether the candidate will be a good fit in the system, and will be responsible with the students. But the schools use the Alabama State Department of Education to conduct background checks on teaching candidates.

Teachers supply a teaching certificate when they apply for a position, Marengo County Schools Superintendent Luke Hallmark said.