Christian Middle School Teacher in Niceville, Florida, Charged With Molesting Student

A middle school teacher at Rocky Bayou Christian School in Okaloosa County, Florida, has been charged with a felony after being accused of inappropriately touching a young girl. Aaron Gleason, 39, of Mary Esther, was arrested on Jan. 28 and charged with lewd and lascivious molestation. The charge is an allegation, and Gleason has not been convicted.

According to the arrest report, the alleged incident took place in December on the Rocky Bayou campus at Forest Lake Bible Church in Niceville. The school’s superintendent, Dr. Michael Mosley, said Gleason was removed from campus as soon as the incident was reported and that parents were notified immediately.

The investigation began in January, after a staff member overheard a concerning conversation among students. The alleged victim told a detective with the Niceville Police Department that she had approached Gleason in December for help with an assignment. She said he hugged her from the side and then made physical contact that she described as inappropriate, according to the arrest report. The report states that two other students witnessed the incident and gave police their accounts.

The arrest report also says the girl told detectives that Gleason had previously made several comments that made her uncomfortable, including asking whether she and her boyfriend would be cuddling at night.

Mosley said that although Gleason is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the school has made mental health resources available to students who need them. “We basically have an extensive counseling team because we have three campuses K-12,” Mosley said. “We moved all of those counseling resources to be parked here at the middle school since the arrest.” Providing care to students affected by the report reflects a commitment to protecting the vulnerable (Psalm 82:3).

Mosley also addressed the school’s response. “We live in a fallen world and I wish this stuff didn’t happen,” he said. “But I think it’s important for us as Christians to respond appropriately, work with law enforcement, not to try to hide stuff, cover up or pretend it didn’t happen.”

Gleason remains on the school’s payroll on paid administrative leave, according to Mosley, who said Gleason’s teaching position has been filled. WEAR News reached out to Gleason’s attorney on Wednesday for comment but had not received a response.

Source: Read the original report