ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A substitute teacher from Howard Middle School has been released from jail on bond after he was accused of committing a lewd act in class.
Daniel Huerta, 27, is accused of committing a lewd act in class while he was a substitute teacher at Howard Middle School.
According to the arrest report, four students say they saw Daniel Huerta, 27, touching himself during their seventh period photography class. They also say they “saw nude photos on the substitute’s phone.”
It’s a concern for parents like Justice Martin, who said, “It made me feel distraught. What the heck, why would someone do that?”
The Orange County school district released this statement: “Families at Howard Middle School were notified that We were made aware of an arrest of a former substitute. Substitutes are not employed by Orange County Public Schools. We take any allegation very seriously as the safety of students and staff is our top priority. This individual will not be substituting in our school or any OCPS school and will not be anywhere near our school due to an ongoing investigation.”
They say Kelly Education hires substitute teachers in Orange County.
According to the arrest report, Huerta was hired back in 2024 as a substitute teacher. WFTV asked Kelly Education if he just worked at Howard Middle School or other schools in Central Florida, and they did not comment.
WFTV also asked the Orange County school district spokesperson if they track the substitute teachers, and they wouldn’t answer that question either.
Kelly Education did provide this statement regarding Huerta’s arrest: “The safety and well-being of the students we serve is our highest priority. The individual in question is no longer employed by Kelly Education. We are fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement throughout their ongoing investigation. Our screening procedures comply with the Florida Department of Education’s rigorous standards and go beyond those standards to include comprehensive background and fingerprint checks, which cover local, state, and national criminal records, as well as the National Sex Offender Registry and crimes against children. In addition to state standards, our vetting system strictly adheres to all district requirements, ensuring we maintain the highest safety standards. The former substitute educator passed all screenings prior to employment.”
But parents like Justice say more needs to be done. She hopes the students involved are OK.
“These kids are too young to be dealing with that,” she said.
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