Thomas Washburn: Kindergarten Teacher Rips Girl’s Shirt Off As Punishment, Makes Her Sit Naked

Thomas Washburn is facing indecent exposure and child abuse charges after police say the Arizona kindergarten teacher ripped the shirt off a female student and then forced her to sit partially naked for 10 minutes.

Police said the 54-year-old Washburn became angry with the class recently, and while he was yelling one young girl became so frightened that she hid her face in her shirt. Washburn reportedly became even angrier at this, ripping the shirt from the girl’s body.

The young girl was then forced to sit naked from the waist up for more than 10 minutes crying while Thomas Washburn reportedly held her shirt.

He eventually returned the shirt, and at the end of the school day admitted to he girl’s mother what he had done. The woman reported Washburn to the principal, who contacted the Mesa Police Department.

Police interviewed the child and her mother, but said that Thomas Washburn invoked his right to remain silent during the interview.

Following the investigation, have charged kindergarten teacher Thomas Washburn with one count of child abuse and 25 counts of indecent exposure, one for each child in the classroom during the incident.

“Those actions are not acceptable under any circumstances. I feel if you’re a teacher, there are certain moral guidelines you should not cross, and I feel those were broken,” said parent Sonya Coronado said.

Police and district officials added that there was an aide in the classroom at the time of the incident, but did not say why this person failed to stop the teacher’s actions.

Thomas Washburn, a teacher at Adams Elementary since 2006, has been placed on paid administrative leave after allegedly ripping the kindergarten girl’s shirt off.