JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A math teacher at Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts is behind bars, the second educator tied to Duval County Public Schools arrested this week and accused of inappropriate contact with a student.
Brian Wilker Orr, 42, faces charges including offenses against students by an authority figure, lewd or lascivious touching of a minor and child abuse, according to jail records. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested and booked him late Thursday. Orr made his first court appearance Friday and is being held on a $275,000 bond. Action News Jax first reported Orr’s arrest Friday morning.
A parent alerted Action News Jax to an email circulating on social media that appears to have been sent from Orr to students. The email graphically describes sexual abuse of young girls. Action News Jax has not verified who wrote it. We reached out to Duval County Public Schools and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to ask whether the email is authentic and whether it is part of their investigation. As of publication, neither had responded.
Darnell-Cookman’s principal sent a message to parents confirming an ongoing investigation by Duval County Schools Police and JSO. The principal said the school is fully cooperating but that the information it can share is limited.
Parents in the school’s pickup line Friday said they were shocked. One mother told Action News Jax her sixth-grade son has had Orr as a math teacher twice.
“It is disheartening because I send my kids to school; I trust you guys,” parent Cindy Johnson said. “The superintendent and big people, you’re supposed to put the right people in the right places.”
Another parent said the district needs to go further with background checks.
“I think we need to do a little more background checks, like we need to get in a little deeper,” she said. “If we need to do like how the FBI does it, then that’s what we need to do.”
Second arrest in 48 hours
Orr’s arrest comes a day after 27-year-old Cameron Coverson, a substitute teacher at First Coast High School, was arrested. Coverson faces five charges: two counts of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, offenses against students by authority figures, traveling to meet a minor to do unlawful acts, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
According to his arrest report, Coverson exchanged sexual messages with a student and had sexual contact with her both off campus and inside a classroom at First Coast High. He has pleaded not guilty, and his bond is set at $650,000. Read more about Coverson’s arrest here.
Coverson is employed by ESS, the district’s substitute staffing provider, not directly by DCPS. Action News Jax has reached out to ESS for comment.
A pattern of arrests
Orr and Coverson are among several DCPS employees arrested since May:
- Cail Morris Jr. (May 13): former Sandalwood High School JROTC instructor, charged with child abuse. Read more
- James Mulvey (May 22): Baldwin Middle-Senior High School social studies teacher, charged with offenses against students by authority figures. Read more
- Jon Kee (May 29): Twin Lakes Academy Middle School security guard, charged with authority figure soliciting or engaging in lewd conduct with a student. Read more
- Michael Townsend (June 29): Baldwin Middle-Senior High School principal, charged with failure to report child abuse. Read more
- Donald Heine (July 16): Alden Road Exceptional Student Center paraprofessional, charged with child abuse, battery and assault. Read more
- Cameron Coverson (Sept. 24): First Coast High substitute, charged with unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, among other charges. Read more
- Brian Orr (Sept. 25): Darnell-Cookman math teacher, charged with offenses against students by an authority figure, lewd or lascivious touching of a minor and child abuse. Read more
School board responds
Action News Jax asked Duval County School Board members whether they are comfortable with the current vetting process for both district teachers and substitutes placed through ESS, and what more could be done to protect students.
“The allegations involving these students are deeply troubling,” School Board member Melody Bolduc said in a statement. “The district is responsible for the safety of students in our schools regardless of who employs the adult, and it is increasingly clear to me that we need to reevaluate our standards in Human Resources.”
Bolduc said Superintendent Christopher Bernier, who launched the “Know the Line” initiative in 2024 to set clear expectations for adult-student boundaries, has told the board he is refining hiring and accountability procedures and plans to hold a workshop on those measures. Watch: Superintendent Bernier on employee arrests and school safety
Today, Dr. Bernier also reiterated his continued commitment to dealing with employee misconduct and saying that it will not be tolerated and will be met with immediate and appropriate consequences.
Superintendent Dr. Bernier’s full message to families can be watched here.
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