A Sarasota County middle school teacher was arrested May 8 following an investigation into allegations of inappropriately touching students, according to police.
Bryan Clum, a 37-year-old math teacher at Woodland Middle School in North Port, was charged with three felony counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, according to a release from the North Port Police Department and court records.
“Our hearts are with the students impacted by this case and their families,” North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said in a statement. “These situations are incredibly difficult, and we want victims to know they will be heard, supported, and taken seriously.
“We also encourage anyone who may have experienced inappropriate behavior involving this individual to come forward and speak with investigators.”
Clum is currently being held at the Sarasota County Jail without bond, the police department said. No further details were released, and the probable cause affidavit has yet to be posted online.
“This case involves a serious breach of trust,” Garrison said. “Parents should feel confident that their children are safe while at school. Our detectives worked diligently to thoroughly investigate these allegations, and we remain committed to protecting children in our community and holding offenders accountable.”
Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Connor said in a statement that student safety is always the top priority of the district.
“Upon receiving these allegations, we worked closely with the North Port Police Department throughout this investigation,” Connor said. “Our number one responsibility is, and always will be, protecting the safety and security of our students. Any allegation of inappropriate behavior involving students is taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated. We will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement as this investigation moves forward.”
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the North Port Police Department at 941-429-7300.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County teacher arrested for touching students, police say
Reporting by Chris Anderson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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