‘It’s 100% predatory’: Teacher showed nude photos of himself to student during class, parents say

CUNNINGHAM, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) — Parents said a Tennessee high school teacher showed their teenage daughter nude photos of himself on his cell phone during class.

The teacher has been placed on an alternative worksite off school property since the incident, the district’s chief communications officer, Anthony Johnson, said. The school is currently on spring break.

The teen’s mother said the incident happened March 9 during one of her daughter’s classes at Montgomery Central High School. She said the teacher called her daughter to his desk, telling her he wanted to show her pictures of a project he was working on.

“She told me that her teacher showed her nude pictures, and she went to the bathroom and called me hysterically,” the mother said.

The teen’s father said the teacher first showed his daughter pictures of a project he was working on at home.

“My daughter said she didn’t even know what it was. It was like a trailer with some tires on it,” he said.

The district’s chief communications officer confirmed the incident occurred but said the teacher displayed the photos briefly by mistake.

However, the teen’s parents do not believe it was an accident.

“Instead of closing his phone or laying his phone down, he then looked for a reaction,” the teen’s father said. “Scrolled through a gallery of more photos of himself. So, to me, she’s a victim, and it’s 100% predatory.”

The teen’s parents said that after speaking out about the incident, other parents came to them saying they had similar experiences with their children in his class.

“This cannot continue. He’s already had multiple complaints on him from the school before. Children have been removed from his class into another class previously, that we were unknown about, to avoid confrontation with him,” the teen’s mother said.

The teacher is married to the district’s superintendent, Jean Luna-Vedder. The district said in a statement that she has recused herself from the investigation and disciplinary action.

When WSMV asked whether other parents had filed complaints against the teacher, the district’s communications officer did not respond to that question.

The teen’s parents said they want the teacher prosecuted.

“We’re 100% seeking him to be prosecuted and we’re not going to rest until that happens, absolutely not,” the father said.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is currently handling the external investigation. The district said it does not begin internal investigations until external investigations have concluded.