A Florida Christian school teacher and conservative media writer has been charged with molesting one of his female students during Bible class.
Aaron Craig Gleason, known for his writings on the topic of drag queens influencing children, is now facing a charge of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years old, as reported by the Pensacola News Journal.
According to the Niceville Police, the victim reported that in December she approached Gleason’s desk to discuss a Bible class assignment. After they finished their discussion, the victim alleged that Gleason gave her a “side hug” and then proceeded to touch her back and buttocks, gently caressing her buttocks with this thumb.
Additional support for the victim’s statement came from two other students, as per the police. The victim also mentioned to investigators that Gleason had made several unsettling comments that had made her feel uneasy.
One such comment was telling her that she “looked cute” with a flower clip in her hair, followed immediately by, “Or are you just trying to be deceptive?” Those comments were also corroborated by another student.
Gleason has written for such outlets as The Daily Wire and The Imaginative Conservative, both of which removed his bio from their websites.
After starting work at Rocky Bayou Christian School in 2023, Gleason coached soccer in the middle school, Mid Bay News said. The school’s superintendent, Mike Mosley, sent an email to parents saying the one of its teachers had been arrested. The teacher “has been on paid administratove leave and off campus for two weeks,” Mosley wrote.
“Please pray for our school and students during this difficult time,” he said.
Gleason was released on a $75,000 bond after his arrest and has a court date on March 13, the News Journal said.