JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A teacher at Baldwin Middle-Senior High School was arrested Friday on a charge, including an offense against a student by an authority figure, according to a message sent to parents from the school’s principal.
James Mulvey, who has taught at the school since October 2016, was taken into custody by JSO. He briefly resigned for personal reasons in June 2022 before being rehired by the district in October 2022.
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School Principal Mike Townsend notified families of the arrest with the following message:
This is Principal Townsend. I regret having to end the week with difficult news, but I want to inform you of a serious situation involving one of our staff members.
This individual, James Mulvey, was arrested this morning on multiple charges, including Authority Figure Solicits or Engages in a Romantic Relationship with a Student. While the presumption of innocence applies, the allegations are deeply concerning.
In addition to these criminal charges, the individual is also the subject of an internal human resources investigation. He has been removed from the school and reassigned to a role without student contact while both internal and external investigations are ongoing.
I understand that this information is upsetting, but I believe it is important to keep our families informed. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. We also want to be clear that any individual who violates the trust placed in them to protect and support students will be held accountable.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to this message. I appreciate your partnership and support. Goodbye.
After the message was sent to families, Duval County Public Schools said the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed the exact charge was “offenses against students by authority figures.”
The circumstances leading up to the arrest are unclear.
“While the presumption of innocence applies, the allegations are deeply concerning,” Townsend said in the message to families.
In addition to the criminal charges, Mulvey is the subject of an internal Professional Standards investigation. The school did not provide details as to why he’s under investigation.
He has been reassigned to a position outside the school and will have no contact with students while both investigations are ongoing.
Townsend addressed the seriousness of the situation directly with families in his message.
“We also want to be clear that any individual who violates the trust placed in them to protect and support students will be held accountable,” he said.
The district emphasized that student safety remains its highest priority.
We’ve reached out to JSO to learn more about the arrest.