A former Florida fifth-grade teacher at B.D. Gullett Elementary School in Bradenton, Florida, resigned after allegedly penning a two-page handwritten love letter to an 11-year-old student. The letter, discovered by the girl’s mother, contained unsettling declarations such as “I truly love you” and urged the child to keep their correspondence a secret.
According to Florida news outlet WWSB, the teacher, identified as Jarrett Williams, reportedly wrote the letter following a Valentine’s Day incident where he spent 45 minutes alone with the student while her classmates attended a library session. In the note, Williams apologized for making the student “upset” by covering her with “slime” and expressed his affection, stating, “I really love being your teacher and more importantly, I love how close we have gotten this year.”
“This teacher stole a piece of her innocence”
The student’s mother, Ann Mitchell, reported the letter to school officials and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office on March 9. Williams was reassigned to a non-instructional role the following day and subsequently resigned on April 23. The school board formally accepted his resignation on April 29.
The incident has sparked outrage among parents and community members, with many questioning the school’s handling of the situation. Mitchell expressed her distress during a school board meeting, stating, “She has nightmares and wakes up having cried in her sleep. This teacher stole a piece of her innocence.”
A school board member added, “I commend her bravery to speak up,” referring to the girl’s mother who brought the note to the school district’s attention, “because she has probably saved a lot of other children.” Another board member added, “This is horrific.”
The girl’s father called the note “incredibly upsetting … What can I do legally out of frustration from being in receipt of something like this?” he responded. “What more could he have done to my daughter?” he added.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an ongoing investigation, and a harassment charge related to bullying is expected to be filed against Williams
Published: May 5, 2025 03:59 pm