TEACHER FACES LEWDNESS RAP

PFMLIT General, LONG ISLAND NEWS, PUBLIC LEWDNESS, SEX OFFENDERS AND OTHERS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST, TEACHERS SCHOOL STAFF

Newsday/Zachary R. Dowdy and Matthew Chayes

Joshua Thomas, a 32 year old elementary teacher, pleaded not guilty Friday to publiclewdness.  Thomas, of 20 E. Locust St, Central Islip, is a third grade teacher at FranklinSchool in Hempstead.  He was ordered held on $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash after he wasarraigned on four counts of public lewdness and a count of endangering the welfare of achild.  On March 19, 20 and Tuesday, police said, two area residents saw Thomas masturbatingin his black 1999 Jeep Cherokee on Sycamore Avenue as students walked to Hempstead HighSchool.  Police urge peoples to report any instances in which Thomas may have exposed himselfby calling 800-224-TIPS.
(New York)