PROVIDENCE, RI—A Providence middle school is the center of a serious investigation following the arrest of one of its teachers. Joseph Gannon, 50, an 8th-grade science teacher at Nathanael Greene Middle School, was taken into custody by police on Friday.
He was charged with multiple instances of rape.
Gannon, who has taught in the Providence School District for 25 years, is now facing charges of first-degree sexual assault. The accusations were brought forward by a former student, who claims that Gannon assaulted her repeatedly over several years, beginning when she was in middle school.
While the exact timeline and location of the alleged incidents are unclear, it has raised questions about whether any of these assaults occurred during Gannon’s time at Nathanael Greene.
In response to the arrest, the school district sent a letter to parents, stating that Gannon had been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. The district reminded parents that these are still allegations, and no formal determination has been made.
