Students Allege Indiana Teacher Touched Them Inside Bathroom, Watched Them Urinate

An Indiana teacher has been arrested after being accused of inappropriately touching students in a school bathroom and watching them urinate.

Andrew Cowells, 47, was arrested last Wednesday and faces 13 felony charges, his court documents said. He was fired by Concord High School, Elkhart, where he worked as a social studies teacher, after the incident came to light on May 5, reported NY Daily News.

After the students raised the complaint, the school suspended him before alerting the police. The Concord Community Schools District officials said they acted against Cowells after learning of "inappropriate comments of a sexual nature" he allegedly made to students that day.

Officers then spoke to students about the incident. All the students were between 15 and 16 years old, according to the court filings.

The affidavit said the students told investigators that Cowells admitted to his class he was "aroused" while telling sexual jokes. He also clapped for two female students who "grinded" on each other in class.

Another student complained that the accused touched his private parts and looked over to watch another boy urinate.

According to the arrest affidavit, he encouraged a student to touch himself and told a class that he wanted a 15-year-old student to "grind" on him.

The officers also obtained a warrant for the accused's phone, the search of which showed numerous images depicting "boys in various stages of undress" and "two boys engaging in sexual activity."

However, none of the children in the photos were students in the district, said the superintendent of Concord Community Schools.

Cowells faces 13 felony charges, including child solicitation, vicarious sexual gratification involving teenagers, and possession of child pornography. He has also been charged with misdemeanor counts of voyeurism, battery and harassment via electronic networks.

Meanwhile, the district officials said three other teachers have also been placed on leave, but the details were not given in the affidavit.

Another teacher ended up behind bars in Wisconsin in April after a student approached the police alleging sexual assault. Art teacher Christy Mathis, 50, was arrested after she allegedly placed a hand on the student's back during the class. Police said Mathis then proceeded to slide her hand down the student's back until she cupped the victim's buttocks.