Cranston Police: Teacher showed bra to student while speaking sexually to her
By: Kirsten Glavin
kglavin@abc6.com
CRANSTON, R.I. – A bra was found in the desk of science teacher Charles Pearson at Cranston West High School, authorities say.
ABC 6 has learned police went into his classroom shortly after a female student came forward, alleging the science teacher, sexually assaulted her.
Many parents at a loss for words.
"Its disturbing… it’s very disturbing," said parent Bob Morris.
The teen told police Pearson would take the bra out of his drawer, and show it to her while speaking in a sexually suggestive way.
All of it taking place during school.
According to students, all traces of Charles Pearson at the high school were removed shortly after he was arrested.
"I think it was Monday, I walked into school and I saw that his door – it used to say his name and had drawings on it. Its painted white now," said Josh Morris, a student at Cranston West.
For the first time in nearly a week the school superintendent sent a letter to parents, Wednesday night, defending the hiring of the science teacher.
Even though he had resigned from his teaching position at the Rhode Island Training School after a girl claimed he sexually assaulted her.
The letter also states that Pearson passed a background check and they didn’t know he had resigned from the Training School.
It says the school presently, and in the past, follows the law.
Cranston Police Chief Colonel Winquist told ABC6 News that’s not true.
He referred to two instances where girls on the school soccer team came forward saying Pearson had been sexually inappropriate with them; one in 2009 another in 2013.
School officials never reported the incidents to Cranston Police.
The incident from 2013 was a sexual assault, and by law the school was required to report it to police.
Colonel Winquist also told ABC6 News over the phone, Wednesday night:
"The law is pretty clear. There are mandatory reporting requirements. If there are any allegations of sexual assault they need to be reported."
The letter did not specifically mention the school psychologist George Blessing who was arrested Tuesday for failing to report knowledge of the sexual assault claim.
ABC6 News reached out to the school district numerous times Wednesday night, but have not had any of the calls or emails, returned.
©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017
