A fifth grade teacher is coming under fire from a Florida community of parents. Fears have been stoked after the mother of one of his students discovered a disturbing note. According to the mom, the teacher, Jarrett Williams, was possibly grooming her 11-year-old daughter. So she brought the issue to the school board in an attempt to get some help.
In addition to the note, the mother also highlighted another concerning encounter with the teacher. And now, another parent is coming forward with accusations against Williams.
Ann Mitchell, mother of an 11-year-old girl at B.D. Gullett Elementary School spoke during public comment at the Manatee County School Board on April 29, 2025. Ann Mitchell accused Williams of “serious and egregious misconduct,” as well as unwanted physical conduct with her daughter and other students, WWSB reported.
“This male fifth grade teacher led my 11-year-old daughter into his classroom and spent 45 minutes alone with her while the rest of the students went to the library for their specials on Valentine’s Day,” she said.
But that wasn’t the only accusation she made against the teacher. She also revealed something she found in her daughter’s bedroom. “In my hands, I have a copy of the two-page, handwritten textbook grooming letter that was written by this teacher and given to my 11-year-old daughter.”
The most concerning part of the letter reads, “You know I truly love you and no matter what, that will never change. I really love being your teacher and more importantly, I love how close we have gotten this year.”
Mitchell also shared the letter with WFLA. In the note, Williams apologized for “putting slime all over” the girl in class. “I thought we could have some fun together but didn’t think about you getting upset with me,” he wrote.
In a statement, Manatee County Director of Communications, Michael Barber said that Williams had been reassigned. He was sent to a facility where no children were present.
Jarrett Williams submitted a letter of resignation. It was accepted during the the school board meeting.
His file will be flagged, but Ann Mitchell and her husband Jason Mitchell told WFLA that they had hoped he would be fired instead. “To us, we felt termination was tougher language attached to somebody we would hope would never be in a classroom again,” Jason Mitchell said.
Ann Mitchell said her daughter “has nightmares and wakes up having cried in her sleep.” She also claimed that the “teacher stole a piece of her innocence.”
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office told WWSB that nonsexual charges will be made against Williams.
Days later, another parent came forward with accusations against Jarrett Williams. One mom, who chose to remain anonymous, spoke about her son, who is in fifth grade. “He started telling me ‘I don’t want to go to school. Don’t make me go to school,’” the woman said, WWSB reported.
Things came to a head when she emailed Williams about her son’s homework. The teacher confronted her son, telling the boy “Don’t have your mommy send me messages.” It continued when the boy forgot to put his name on a math homework. Williams ripped the paper up, forcing the child to pick it out of the garbage and tape it up.
“This has literally kept me up for days and days. We’ve been having nightmares, my son’s been having nightmares,” the mom said.
