A former Indiana teacher who was also the chairman of his local county Democratic Party was arrested for allegedly fondling himself in front of students in the classroom.
Joel R. Bowers, 37, faces accusations of masturbating in front of a class of eighth grade students.
According to The Commercial Review, Bowers was “charged in Jay Superior Court with performance before a minor that is harmful to minors and dissemination of matter harmful to minors, both Level 6 felonies.”
The alleged classroom incident occurred in April.
He was released from Jay County Jail on a $3,000 bond.
A Level 6 felony carries up to “30 months in prison,” Muncie Star Press noted.
BREAKING: Former chairman of the Jay County Democratic Party in Indiana arrested and charged for inappropriate conduct in front of minors.
Joel Bowers, who was also a teacher, allegedly m*sturb*ted in front of students in the classroom and sent photos of his p*n*s to someone who… pic.twitter.com/sfqith6aDX
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 6, 2024
From The Commercial Review:
Bowers was placed on administrative leave from Jay County Junior-Senior High School on April 11 following allegations of misconduct. The former social studies teacher later resigned from his position.
He was also chair of the Democratic Party in Jay County at the time of the incident and resigned his post shortly after. (In June, Jay County Democrats elected former two-term Portland mayor Randy Geesaman as their new chair.)
According to a report filed in connection with the case, a 14-year-old girl told school resource officer Cody Jessee on April 10 that Bowers masturbated in her sixth period class at the junior-senior high the previous day.
She told Jessee about the alleged incident and gave a written statement.
According to the report, she texted her mother about the situation and sent her pictures and videos of the situation. She alleged Bowers stayed at his class the entire period and would not get out of his seat.
Teacher who was head of local county Democrat party arrested for fondling himself in front of kids https://t.co/Ot1g6IL5bO pic.twitter.com/CYD4vySW0Z
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) October 7, 2024
Nothing to see here folks just another Democratic Pedo. Teacher who was head of local county Democrat party arrested for fondling himself in front of kids | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/fx58g0OAmc
— paula wilson (@pwilsondtf) October 10, 2024
“There was white stuff on his pants and he would not get up for anything,” the girl said, according to the report.
“He had his hand down there and was sweating but it was cold in his room. His hands was down there but when someone went up there he would wipe his hand off with paper towel,” she added.
Muncie Star Press reports:
Videos and photos taken during the class period were supplied to investigators. Students said Bowers was seated with one hand under his desk and suggested his behavior resulted in “white stains” appearing on his pants. They also noted the educator’s shirt was “untucked.”
Later questioned by school administrators and police, Bowers “denied touching himself in class” and maintained the white stains had been caused by paint, not bodily fluid.
Bowers — who at the time of the April incident was also chairman of the Jay County Democratic Party — was placed on administrative leave by school officials in April and resigned from his teaching job in May.
The Indiana Department of Child Services was also involved in the investigation.
Also on Tuesday, Bowers was charged with another Level 6 felony, dissemination of matter harmful to minors.
That count alleges Bowers sent a photo of his genitalia to a person who had identified themselves online as a 15-year-old girl. The ex-teacher told police he should have “stopped the conversation when the person said they were 15” but “got caught up in the moment.”
