In February 2017, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received information that a teacher at Twin Cedars Community High School may have had an inappropriate relationship with a student.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into 61-year-old Alan Wesley Stewart of Oskaloosa. The investigation revealed Stewart, while acting as a long term teacher, had repeated sexual contact with one student during 2015.

According to court records, Stewart had a relationship with a student enrolled in the Twin Cedars Community School District that consisted of gift exchanges, private conversations in his office, private messages, and time spent at Stewart’s home. The victim stated to police that the nature of the relationship was intimate and, at times, sexual. Investigators claim the statements were corroborated by Stewart.

Stewart was arrested Monday and charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee, a Class D felony. According to the Twin Cedars website, Alan Stewart is listed as an Industrial Arts/Physical Education teacher, and the most recent high school cross country coach. Stewart is being held at the Marion County Jail. Stewart has been licensed to teach in Iowa since 1978.

Twin Cedars Superintendent Brian VanderSluis released the following statement:

Monday afternoon, the Marion County Sheriff’s department officers arrested Twin Cedars teacher Alan Stewart on charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Mr. Stewart has been placed on administrative leave pending further review and action by the School District. We were not apprised of any concerns before the arrest. We will cooperate fully in the investigation by law enforcement.