Parent voices concerns after substitute teacher accused of sending students inappropriate messages
By Emily Rittman
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — A 42-year-old substitute teacher is facing charges. Jason L. Carey is accused of sending inappropriate social media messages to students in the Belton School District.
Carey is charged with felony enticement or attempted enticement of a child, felony second-degree child molestation, and two counts of furnishing pornographic material or attempting to furnish pornographic material to a minor.
On September 19, a Belton Police School Resource Officer received information from a middle school student regarding inappropriate social media messages and videos from Carey.
Belton School District superintendent Dr. Andrew Underwood released a statement to district parents Thursday morning. In it, Underwood said Carey was working as a substitute teacher through the district’s third-party vendor at the time of the allegation. However, he said Carey previously worked in the district’s SAC program.
“We have already reached out to the families of the students whom this person may have worked with,” Underwood’s statement read. “As soon as it was reported to us, we contacted the police department, made the appropriate call to the children’s division, and the third-party substitute company took appropriate action. Please know that the individual is no longer on school property and will have no further access to students or staff.”
Underwood said the State of Missouri and the Belton School District require anyone who works in a school district to complete the Family Cares Safety Registry and pass background and fingerprint checks through the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Parent Rosalie Jeffreys says she is concerned because Carey worked for an after-school program in Belton. “I would like to see some accountability,” Jeffreys said.
When confronted about inappropriate Snapchat messages and videos, court documents state Carey told investigators he had been “drinking most of the day and had conversations with people on Snapchat.” Investigators say he admitted to deleting photographs and deactivating his social media accounts. Court records show Carey was a substitute teacher from September 12th-September 16th.
“Absolutely unacceptable and I want to be a voice for the parents that do have victims,” Jeffreys said. “I think it’s important that we teach our children, especially our daughters, that the types of people that can hurt you are not always the villains you see in TV and movies but can be somebody in a place that’s supposed to keep you safe.”
KCTV5 News asked the school district for comment about concerns regarding Carey and the after-school program but have not yet heard back. Carey is being held without bond. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He is scheduled to be back in court on September 26th for a bond hearing.
Police said additional charges may be filed in the ongoing investigation.
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