Teacher at John A. Ferguson Sr. High arrested, accused of sex acts with a student
2/11/2022 UPDATE: Prosecutors dropped the case, citing a lack of evidence.
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A history teacher from John A. Ferguson Senior High School accused of having sex multiple times with a student has been arrested.
Aaron Hamid, 27, turned himself in to Miami-Dade Schools Police on Monday, about two weeks after he was reassigned from the West Kendall school at 15900 SW 56th St. and put under investigation over allegations of inappropriate behavior with a student.
Hamid was the victim’s Advanced Placement U.S. history teacher last year when she was 16 and in the 11th grade, according to his arrest affidavit.
He’s charged with three felony counts, including offenses against students by authority figures, unlawful sexual activity with a specified minor and engaging in a sexual act with a familial child.
The victim told investigators her interactions with Hamid began at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when she enrolled in his online class. The two began speaking through Remind, a private messaging app educators use to communicate with students and parents. Eventually, they exchanged phone numbers, according to the arrest affidavit.
Hamid would drive to the victim’s house, pick her up, and would then have sex with her in his car and at his Cutler Bay home, according to the affidavit. The victim said this happened “numerous times while he was still her teacher” and that they were in an intimate relationship for about a year, the report states.
The investigation began on Oct. 22 when the victim’s best friend told a staff member the victim’s boyfriend was a teacher at the school. She later told an officer her best friend was in an “intimate relationship” with her history teacher, according to Hamid’s arrest affidavit.
The friend said she had talked with Hamid using the victim’s phone to say “Hi” and that she had also been alone with them in his classroom during lunch, the affidavit states.
Investigators noted that when the principal called Hamid to the office on Oct. 22 to discuss the allegations, he went to the parking lot and sat in his car instead. The victim told investigators Hamid contacted her that same day and she deleted everything that could be “incriminating” from her phone.
A call to the phone number listed for Hamid in his arrest affidavit was sent to voicemail.
Hamid has been employed by the district for four years and has had no prior disciplinary history, the school district said. The district said it plans to terminate his employment and will also prevent him from seeking future work with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
“An allegation of this nature against any one of our employees is disheartening and illicit behavior will not be tolerated. Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) will continue to remind employees of their professional, moral and ethical duties and responsibilities,” the school district said in a statement.
At least six other former teachers from Miami-Dade County have been accused of engaging in illegal sexual relationships, or in attacks, against students.
One of them, Heiry Calvi, saw most of her charges dropped Tuesday. The 41-year-old pregnant woman is still accused of unlawfully soliciting or engaging in “sexual conduct and/or a relationship of a romantic nature” with a student, according to the formal charge filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.
Miami Herald staff writer David Ovalle contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 10:28 AM.
