Thomas Steuart, Winburn Middle School arrested on sex charges in 2018 still has a teaching license

While teaching choir at Lexington’s Winburn Middle School in 2018, Thomas Steuart was accused of five counts of sexual abuse involving a child under the age of 12, and in 2021, he was found guilty of lesser crimes of harassment and assault.

State records reveal that as of mid-September this year, Steuart still held a teaching license in Kentucky despite being fired from Fayette County Public Schools in 2020. Steuart was charged over four years ago, and his state license has still not received a final decision. He technically still had the ability to work as a teacher.

The situation demonstrates that it may take months or even years after an allegation has been made before a teacher’s license is voluntarily surrendered, revoked, or suspended, according to an examination of Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board data.

It is unclear whether department officials are restricting Steuart’s ability to teach while they investigate because Kentucky Department of Education General Counsel Todd Allen stated that the Kentucky Department of Education and the Education Professional Standards Board cannot release information on ongoing matters.

The conclusion of a criminal case, which is what occurred in Steuart’s case, is a significant factor that can postpone the imposition of ultimate disciplinary measures.

Within 15 days of Steuart’s guilty plea being recorded in court documents, on November 16, 2021, a lawyer for the Kentucky Department of Education wrote to the Fayette Circuit Court requesting a copy of the whole court file.

Judge Thomas L. Travis of the Fayette Circuit ruled that Steuart filed an Alford Plea in September 2021. There were no victim impact statements filed with the court. When a defendant enters an Alford plea, they admit guilt but maintain their innocence and acknowledge that the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence for a jury to convict them at trial.

When there are underlying pending criminal proceedings, the EPSB normally holds cases in abeyance – a pending status — so long as the teacher is not in the classroom. The EPSB may act in accordance with state law before a criminal conviction in cases where the teacher has not been expelled from the school, according to Allen.

The coronavirus pandemic, which was at its worst when Steuart’s case was still waiting, held down the processing of many other criminal cases as well.

According to online Fayette Circuit Court records, Steuart was charged by Lexington police in August 2018 with five counts of sexual abuse, four of which involved a kid under the age of 12.

According to the complaint, Steuart was charged when a male minor complained that Steuart had “subjected him to sexual intercourse.” The child claimed that the accused victim and other male minors would hang out at Steuart’s house to swim and watch movies.

According to the complaint, a second youngster, this one under the age of 12, said in a meeting with employees from the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass that Steuart had again touched him inappropriately at his home after they had gone out to eat.

From the court documents, it’s not apparent how Steuart met the accused victims or whether he had authority over them in a professional role.

The five counts of sexual abuse were downgraded to:

• Count 1 was amended to harassment, no physical contact. Included a $100 fine.
• Count 2 was amended to harassment, no physical contact. Included a $100 fine.
• Count 3 was reduced to harassment, physical contact, no injury.
• Count 4 was amended to fourth-degree assault.
• Count 5 was dismissed.

He received a six-month jail sentence but was initially placed on probation for two years.

Travis granted Steuart credit for time served in October 2021 due to the length of time he had already spent behind bars and did not mandate that he serve any extra time in jail. Ultimately, according to court records, he was exempt from probation.

According to court records from Steuart’s attorney, he was free on bond for a number of years during which time he didn’t break any of the conditions of the release. According to the motion from his lawyers, the majority of this period was spent under home confinement.