While police continue to investigate whether a Bellevue School District art teacher molested an elementary student, district officials met with parents Monday night to discuss next steps and how they can talk with their children about the alleged incident and how to prevent it in the future.

Superintendent Tim Mills led two listening sessions at Cherry Crest Elementary and Clyde Hill Elementary, the two schools where 50-year-old Regan Brewer taught art until Jan. 27 when he was arrested during a traffic stop and questioned about allegedly molesting a student from 2003-2007. Mills told parents the student is not in the district currently.

Brewer, who was released from King County Jail the next day, was placed on paid administrative leave following the arrest and will continue to be pending the results of the investigation, a district official told the Reporter.

Mills said although “the allegation was deemed credible enough to arrest him (Brewer),” Mills reminded parents and members of the media in attendance that no formal charges have been made and that the investigation could take several more weeks.

“These are still allegations at this point,” he said.

The superintendent reiterated what police told the Reporter in a previous story, that there continues to appear to be a single victim at this time.

Many parents thanked the school officials for their work following the news of the allegations, but most wanted the district to do more and be more proactive.

Kevin Dillion, a parent of a Clyde Hill Elementary School student, asked Mills what’s being done to ensure children are safe.

“It often takes an earthquake before we plan for earthquakes,” he said. “We shouldn’t be reactive, we should be proactive.”

Mills let Laura Lurry, resource line director of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, answer the question.

“Giving a voice to sexual assaults is the most important thing we can do,” she said. “We don’t have to be investigators or police officers but we always get to be mom or dad.”

In that capacity, Lurry encouraged parents to have open discussions with their children about knowing the difference between “an OK touch, a bad touch and a confusing touch.”

She added it’s equally important for the children to understand that reporting incidents of bad touching and confusing touching, which she described as having “an uh oh feeling” is safe and that they won’t get in trouble for doing so, that it isn’t their fault.

Mills said the district is working on specified programs to roll out in the fall across the district to further detail what students can do to protect themselves and what they should do if they ever find themselves in one of those situations.

Heather Snyder, a former teacher whose children attend Clyde Hill, asked what would happen if Brewer was found innocent, would he be allowed to return to teaching, and if so where?

“In that case we will have to look at what we do with this employee,” Mills said.

The superintendent added Brewer would not “automatically” be reinstated at Cherry Crest or Clyde Hill, as it would be up to district officials as to where to place him if that situation arose.

Snyder said she would feel “uncomfortable” if Brewer returned to Clyde Hill whether he was guilty or not.

“We’ve put this teacher in a situation where he can’t come back,” she said of the information about Brewers arrest and the allegation. “It quickly becomes a witch trial that no one can survive.”

Mills wouldn’t commit to any scenario about Brewer’s potential return until the police investigation is complete and the district has completed its own investigation.

He did say Cherry Crest principal Liz Ritz and Clyde Hill principal Mary Olin, will be sending out weekly updates to parents, but Mills cautioned parents that there may be weeks where no new information is given.