MARYLAND
Bethesda Magazine
BY AARON KRAUT
Updated at 11:50 a.m. – Montgomery County police say a science teacher at a Potomac private school had inappropriate sexual contact with two students after cultivating close personal friendships with them.
Justin Andrew Gordon, 40, of Poolesville was charged Thursday with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sexual offense. He is being held on $35,000 bond.
The Connelly School of the Holy Child, an all-girls school for grades six through 12, put Gordon on administrative leave when the school learned of the allegations Friday, July 10, said Head of School Shannon Gomez.
Gomez said school officials immediately contacted the police. The school also sent an email to parents that day. Gomez said the school fired Gordon this week after conducting its own investigation in which school officials spoke with the two victims.
“The minute we found out, we contacted the proper authorities,” Gomez said. “We’ll continue to inform our community of the information that we’ve become aware of. We’re just really grateful for everybody who has had the courage to come forward to alert us. The girls’ safety is of foremost importance to us.”
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