Educator accused of sex crimes moved out of school

An educator who was accused of sex crimes while principal of an elementary school has been given a non-school assignment, officials said.

Cumberland County schools Superintendent Frank Till said Ronald Thomas Parker's status with the school district was pending the outcome of criminal charges levied against him.

Parker, 59, of the 1100 block of Asbury Road, was charged in June with first-degree statutory sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a child.

He was indicted on those charges in November; a trial date has not been set.

Parker was principal at Eastover-Central School of Arts when he was arrested.

A search warrant returned in the case said he sexually touched a 3-year-old girl in May. An affidavit said Parker allegedly told the girl he was "removing mosquitos."

The girl, authorities said, contracted a sexually transmitted disease, and a search warrant allowed authorities to gather evidence to see if the disease could be linked to Parker.

Parker has been out of jail on the condition that he have no contact with the girl or go near her home.

The child, according to the Sheriff's Office, told her mother about the encounter, and it was reported to deputies.

A native of Dothan, Ala., Parker began as a teacher at Jack Britt High School in December 2002. Three years later, he became an assistant principal at the school. He then left to become principal at Eastover-Central.