JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The dean of students at IDEA River Bluff Charter School in Arlington has been fired following his arrest on multiple serious charges, including sexual battery.
According to school officials, 27-year-old James Lewis Tellis was taken into custody in connection to an alleged off-campus incident involving a minor. A spokesperson for IDEA Public Schools confirmed that the incident did not occur on school property, nor did it involve any students currently enrolled at the charter school.
The school also stated that the alleged incident appears to have occurred before Tellis was employed by IDEA.
Tellis now faces several charges, including:
Sexual battery
Soliciting a child via computer
Offenses against students by authority figures
Unlawful use of a two-way communications device
IDEA Public Schools emphasized their continued commitment to student safety and transparency, stating that Tellis was immediately terminated after the arrest came to light.
