Newberry Education First board member arrested for lewd, lascivious conduct and seduction of a minor

NEWBERRY, Fla. (WCJB) – One of the masterminds behind the effort to convert Newberry public schools into charter schools has been arrested for inappropriate contact with a child.

Joel Searby, 43, was booked into the Alachua County Jail on charges of lewd and lascivious conduct, communication to lure a minor, communication for the purpose of meeting a minor, and use of a communication device for the purpose of committing a crime.

Searby served on the board of Newberry Education First and represented the charter school campaign group in interviews with the media, including TV20.

The Newberry City Commission recently selected members to oversee Newberry Elementary School after it won the charter school election. Searby was not appointed to that board.

This developing story will be updated as new information becomes available. We have reached out to officials at Newberry Education First for comment and have not yet received a response.

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