Former Salina Teacher Charged With 8 Counts Of Lewd Molestation

A former middle school teacher has been charged with inappropriately touching students at school.

Eight 14 and 15-year-old girls told police their eighth-grade math teacher, John Q. Horner III, touched them and said inappropriate things to them.

According to the affidavit, students said Horner touched their backs and rubbed their thighs. The affidavit also said Salina Schools conducted an internal investigation then called police and said no further action was required. When parents contacted the school resource officer, Salina Police began their own investigation.

"There is a vast difference between an internal investigation and an investigation conducted by a police department in conjunction with the district attorney's office, and in conjunction with experts in forensic interviewing," said Salina Police Chief Jonathan Lyons.

Chief Lyons said experts interviewed several students and the Mayes County District Attorney's Office decided to charge Horner with eight counts of lewd molestation.

"There is an opportunity for a different result to come because of the result which we dug versus what the school dug. Their results were from a very preliminary investigation," said Lyons.

The affidavit said the girls accused Horner of rubbing his hands up their legs and squeezing their thighs. An 18-year-old reported Horner called her so often she blocked his number. Another student said Horner told her he met his wife when she was a student of his at a different school.

"These are just the people that have come forward," said Lyons.

Lyons said if there are other students who believe they were inappropriately touched, they need to come forward.

Salina Schools said Horner had not worked at the middle school since last March when the investigation started.