JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Another teacher at the Douglas Anderson School of Arts is facing criminal charges.
Chris Allen-Black, an algebra teacher, was arrested in Orange County on a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure.
NOTE: News4JAX typically doesn’t name those arrested on misdemeanor charges, but because of the nature of the charge and Allen-Black’s occupation, we have chosen to name him.
News4JAX obtained Allen-Black’s arrest report Thursday morning. It shows he was arrested at a Walt Disney World resort in February.
Parents and families received an email Wednesday afternoon from Douglas Anderson about Allen-Black’s arrest (scroll down for the full email).
RELATED: Major Jacksonville law firm retained for issues regarding Douglas Anderson
The math teacher was removed from the classroom and reassigned to different duties without student contact, according to the email. The Duval County Public Schools office of professional standards is investigating.
According to the arrest report, witnesses saw a man, later identified as Allen-Black, naked and fondling himself in a window overlooking the pool at the Dolphin Resort. One woman said she was concerned because other people were in sight, including children and families.
Allen-Black was charged with indecent exposure and released on a $2,500 bond. Court documents show he is expected to be back in an Orange County courtroom for a hearing in May.
This is the fifth teacher that Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has removed from the classroom since March 2023, when former music teacher Jeffrey Clayton was arrested following allegations of inappropriate contact with a student.
Corey Thayer, chair of the cinematic arts department, English teacher Kerry Burke-McCloud, and a third unnamed teacher were all reassigned based on information received during Douglas Anderson’s investigation, which was sparked by Clayton’s arrest.
We have reached out to DCPS to see how long it knew about Allen-Black’s February arrest, since parents weren’t notified until this week. We will update this story when we hear back.
The full text of the email to parents is below:
Dear Douglas Anderson families,
Unfortunately, I am writing to share with you very disappointing news regarding one of your children’s teachers.
Our school district received notification that Mr. Allen-Black, who taught your child’s algebra class, was arrested by the Orange County Sherriff’s Office on a misdemeanor charge of exposure of sexual organs. While the presumption of innocence applies, we have reassigned this teacher to duties without student contact while the district’s office of professional standards conducts an investigation into the matter.
Please know that your child’s academic well-being is our top priority, and we have put an instructional transition plan in place to ensure there is no disruption to student learning.
- Our other certified math teachers will take over Mr. Allen-Black’s Algebra I classes to ensure continued instruction prior to the FSA.
- Algebra II classes will be taught with a substitute under close observation by school administrators and other math faculty.
- Students can attend any math teacher Lunch and Learn for remediation and support.
- Additional support may include, but is not limited to, Mu Alpha Theta tutors and ESE support teachers.
- After all math state and district assessments are complete, the math department will assign material relevant for next year’s math curriculum.
Again, this is very disappointing news. I always want to keep you informed, and most important, we want to ensure the proper educational support is in place for students.
Thank you for your support as we work to provide a safe and positive learning environment for your child.