North Port teacher accused of inappropriately touching students: 'Serious breach of trust’
Teacher accused of inappropriately touching students
An investigation since January into allegations of inappropriate conduct at Woodland Middle School ended Friday morning as North Port police led a 37-year-old math teacher away in handcuffs. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - An investigation since January into allegations of inappropriate conduct at Woodland Middle School ended Friday morning as North Port police led a 37-year-old math teacher away in handcuffs.
What we know:
Bryan Clum faces three counts of inappropriately touching students following a probe that began in January. Investigators say multiple female students came forward at that time, reporting a pattern of unwanted contact that left them feeling unsafe in their own classroom.
"Our detectives did their due diligence," said Brittany Kammerer with the North Port Police Department. "This was over months of investigation, and they made it a point to reach out to more than 55 students, close to 60, and make sure their stories were heard and anything that was occurring was documented."
A Pattern of Complaints
Timeline:
According to police, the allegations involve unwanted touching on the students' arms, shoulders, and back. As the investigation unfolded, detectives uncovered what they describe as a troubling history of past behavior involving students.
In 2013, while working in Pasco County, North Port Police said Clum faced disciplinary action after sexually explicit comic books were discovered in his classroom.
Clum joined the Sarasota County School District in 2015. Three years later, he was removed from the classroom after being charged with battery for inappropriately touching a student at Woodland Middle School in 2018. However, those charges were ultimately declined due to a lack of evidence, and Clum was allowed to return to his position.
Detectives say that even last year, several students raised similar allegations of inappropriate behavior, though those incidents were not reported to the North Port Police Department at the time.
'Immense Amount of Courage'
What they're saying:
Police are now praising the young victims for finding the strength to speak up about what was happening behind school walls.
"It takes an immense amount of courage for these children," Kammerer said. "They are children to come forward and let us know what occurred. We don’t take that lightly; we want to make sure they have a safe space and that they understand that we are here for them and that this isn’t going to happen again."
Clum was removed from the classroom shortly after the investigation began in January.
Following his arrest on Friday, the Sarasota County School District confirmed he has been placed on administrative leave without pay.
Superintendent Terry Connor stated that any allegation of inappropriate behavior is taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated.
"Our number one responsibility is, and always will be, protecting the safety and security of our students," Connor said.
Investigation Remains Active
What's next:
While Clum currently faces three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct, North Port police believe there may be more victims.
Investigators are continuing to follow leads and say additional charges could be filed as more information comes to light.
"This is a very active investigation," Kammerer said. "With the more leads that roll in, it will continue and we will make sure he is held accountable for all of his actions."
Reporting additional information
What you can do:
Anyone with information regarding this case or who may have experienced inappropriate behavior involving Clum is asked to contact the North Port Police Department at 941-429-7300.
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through the North Port Police Department, court records, and through the state attorney's office.