HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WNCN) — A Wake County substitute teacher has been suspended from the Wake County Public School System.
Cary police arrested 20-year-old Rachel Beahn for indecent liberties with two students.
According to the arrest warrants, one of the victims attends Middle Creek High School, while the other goes to Holly Springs High School.
The ages of the students have not been released.
The alleged offenses happened on Nov. 26, 2022.
The arrests have some Wake County parents asking some serious questions.
“It’s scary, I mean it kind of hit home,” said Deborah Weatherspoon, a Middle Creek High School mother.
“It’s concerning. You’ve got children who are exposed to inappropriate behavior,” said Janet and Don Pittman, Middle Creek High School grandparents.
In the pickup line Wednesday afternoon, parents told CBS 17 they’re still in disbelief that a substitute teacher working at the school was charged with indecent liberties with a student.
“You would never think it’s at your school, but look at what’s going on in the world today,” added Weatherspoon.
Beahn is a current NC State University Mathematics Educaton major. An administrator told CBS17 Beahn began attending the school in Fall 2020.
A WCPSS district spokesperson told CBS 17 to their knowledge, neither offense happened on a school campus.
Beahn was hired in May 2021, when she was 18-years-old. The representative added that Beahn is now suspended from working in the school system.
Parents told CBS 17 they’re confused how someone her age would be able to supervise students not much younger than herself.
“I just think that young… substituting kids,” began Weatherspoon, before she was interrupted by screaming students driving by. “There you go. I mean a 20-year-old can’t handle that.”
“18-year-olds teaching 17 and 16-year-olds? That’s not good. That’s not good at all,” added Pittman.
Wake County Public Schools have listed substitute teachers as a “critical need.”
According to the district website, non-certified substitutes only have to have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, go through a background check, and complete an online training course.
Families are now wondering if that is enough.
“That’s an open door for something that could happen,” said Weatherspoon.
“But I do know that they’re under the gun in having to get people to be able to help with the vacancies,” added Pittman.
CBS 17 crews stopped by two addresses listed for Beahn.
At one of the residences, a girl claimed Beahn did not live there.
At the other home, a man answered the door and said, “We’re not interested in talking.”
Beahn is next expected in court on December 29.
