EUGENE, Ore. - The substitute teacher charged with rape and other sex crimes holds a masters of education from the University of Oregon and is believed to be a graduate of Thurston High School in Springfield.

Police charged Sarah Jayne Bridges, 24, on Friday with rape, sodomy and sex abuse in the third degree. The charges stem from an alleged incident off-campus with a former student in March.

A reporter tried to contact Bridges Monday. Telephone messages have not been answered. The man who answered the door at Bridges' family's home said they have no comment about the allegations.

A neighbor told the reporter Bridges grew up in the Springfield neighborhood.

Bridges graduated from the UO with a bachelor's degree in 2005 and finished a master's in teaching in 2006. She substituted in middle and high schools in the Eugene School District this school year and the year prior.

A principal came forward with the information that led to the arrest. Teachers and principals are required by law to report any suspicion of abuse.

Bridges does not appear to have a prior criminal record and had gone through the school district's background checks.

"With all the standards and practices in place, how could something like this happen? Well, it's really up to an individual," said Kelly McGiver, a spokesperson for the school district. "That's really what it comes down to in any situation where somebody's breaking the law and making a terrible choice, it's an individual thing."

District officials said the system is doing a good job of finding qualified people to educate kids. Educators receive packets from the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, undergo criminal background checks and are fingerprinted.

"We expect all teachers and all district employees to act in a professional manner with children," said Wally Bryant, associated director of human resources for the school district.

Bridges taught 66 days in 4J schools in 2006-07, and has taught a total of 85.5 days in 4J this school year.

The district suspended her substitute teaching privileges upon notification of the allegations Friday. After contacting police, district administrators reported the allegations to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, the state body responsible for issuing teaching licenses. A conviction on these charges would mean an automatic loss of teaching license.

During the 2007-08 school year, she has taught at the following 4J schools: Churchill, Sheldon, North Eugene and South Eugene high schools; Kelly, Madison, Monroe, and Roosevelt middle schools; and the K-8 Arts and Technology Academy at Jefferson. Subjects she has covered include science, language arts, French, Japanese, art, social studies, physical education, math, home economics and general elementary education.

The charges against Bridges are all in the third degree, meaning police allege the crime involved a child who is 14 or 15 years old.

"Rape" is considered sexual intercourse under Oregon law. "Sodomy" covers a number of other sexual acts, including oral sex. "Sex abuse" is any other sexual contact.