Send us a text

The arrest of recent Gulf Breeze High School graduate Matthew McChesney on 23 CSAM charges has set off a safety alarm for parents and the Santa Rosa County School District. 

In part, because he was arrested the same month that 36-year-old Gulf Breeze High School hospitality teacher and a private team soccer coach Molly Mersereau, was arrested for grooming and having a sexual relationship with a minor student.

Both cases grabbed national headlines and in both cases the suspects seemed to allow self-will to override common sense. 

McChesney's alleged crimes involving possession of images of children in sexual acts - ranging in age from infants and toddlers to elementary age students and teens - also ensnared his mother in the community's outrage and concern over the case.

Kim McChesney is Asst. Principal of Gulf Breeze Elementary School and parents are demanding answers from school district leaders about why she allowed her son to take part in the annual tradition of high school seniors walking the halls of Gulf Breeze Elementary in May, and even high-fiving students, when their home had just been searched and he was still under investigation for sharing and trading graphic pornographic images of children around the same age. 

That coupled with what parents say was her mishandling of an investigation years earlier involving the questioning of several young girls who accused their substitute teacher of touching them inappropriately has many parents at a boiling point, but the school district's response has not cooled their concerns.

Although Mersereau was let go from her job by the school board, which happened the day after we recorded this episode, the district's investigation into the McChesney's is said to be focused on child safety.

However, many parents aren't convinced. 

During the Aug. 7th school board meeting, the McChensey incident was sandwiched in between scolding a charter school for a poor grade and the school district leaning away from allowing fireworks at schools, two issues that seemed to draw more passion from school board members than the McChesney arrest which had also brought outraged parents to the meeting.

Superintendent Karen Barber said she understood why parents were upset and that the district was investigating and dedicated to child safety, but the questions remain about who knew what and when as to Matthew McChesney's alleged crimes. 

Join us for the latest episode of the Gulf Coast Confidential podcast, "Gulf Breeze Grad Matt McChesney Busted for CSAM, Teacher Molly Mersereau Arrested for Illicit Student Relationship." 

Support the show