DEMOPOLIS &8212; The city schools board of education fired Nathan Wesley Hallman following a hearing held in executive session Thursday.

Hallman, 24, stands accused of an inappropriate relationship with an underage female student at Demopolis High School. He faces criminal charges of second-degree rape and enticing a child for immoral purposes.

After the hearing, the school board voted to terminate Hallman&8217;s contract.

The board opted to ignore a letter of resignation from Hallman. Instead, termination proceedings began. The difference? The state is now able to review Hallman&8217;s case, and has the ability to invalidate his teaching certificate.

Hallman first offered a resignation to Demopolis High School principal Dr. Isaac Espy. Espy did not accept it, and neither did Vickers when Hallman offered the superintendent the same letter.

Thursday&8217;s proceedings were part of a formal process that school boards are required to follow when terminating an employee.

Alabama law states that an employee up for termination is offered a hearing, which may be public or private, whichever the employee chooses. Following the hearing, the school board votes whether to terminate the employee. After that, the employee has 15 days to appeal the board&8217;s decision.

Hallman taught social studies at the high school. Retired teacher Gayle Flowers has assumed Hallman&8217;s teaching duties for the remainder of the term.

The rape charge is a class B felony and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The second charge is a class C felony, and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.