Prior Complaint Surfaces Against Arrested Teacher

A Causey Middle School teacher arrested Tuesday on allegations that he gave a 9 year old boy alcohol and inappropriately touched him was at the center of another complaint earlier this school year.

Mobile County School Superintendent Dr. Roy Nichols confirmed Thursday that a parent filed a complaint against Charles Lewis Jr. last September claiming the sixth grade science teacher exposed himself to her son.

According to Nichols, Lewis "inadvertently" exposed himself while changing out of a space camp costume, which he wore while teaching a science lesson. The incident happened when the student asked to stay in Lewis' room after class. Lewis agreed, and while the boy was in the classroom, Lewis changed out of the costume in a closet.

"The boy got up and looked to see what was going on in the closet and saw the teacher taking off the jumpsuit. Apparently while taking off the jumpsuit he (Lewis) inadvertently exposed himself," said Nichols. "The teacher of course denied intentionally exposing himself."

Nichols said the child named in the complaint was transferred out of Lewis' classroom at his mother's request. No other action was taken and the complaint was filed in a supervisor's folder, not in Lewis' personnel file.

Lewis' trouble doesn't stop there. The 50 year old teacher, who was named Causey Middle School's Teacher of the Year in 2009, was busted driving drunk on his way to a teacher work session at school Jan. 4, according to Cpl. Steve Smith of the Alabama Department of Public Safety.

Police records show Lewis' blood alcohol level was .11 when he was involved in a wreck at 6:22 a.m. at the intersection of CR 9 and CR 32 in Baldwin County.

Lewis has not yet posted the $60,000 bond set Wednesday in his most recent case, which involves charges that he sexually abused a child and contributed to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, the alleged victim, who is not a student at Causey Middle School, spent the night at Lewis' home in July 2009. The victim told his mother Lewis offered him alcohol and inappropriately touched him. According to a sheriff's office press release, Lewis admitted to touching the child but insisted it was not intentional.

Lewis has been a teacher for 18 years and previously taught at Baker Elementary School and South Brookley Elementary School.