‘Staying silent speaks volumes’: Parents demand answers from Bryan County school district months after teacher’s child molestation arrest

RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WTOC) - Parents of students at Richmond Hill Middle School say they are outraged, not just by the charges against former teacher Rory Mooney, but by what the school never told them.

Mooney, a former language arts teacher and sports coach at Richmond Hill Middle School, was denied bond at his arraignment last week on felony child molestation charges. He also turned down a plea deal.

Mooney faces charges of child molestation and making a false statement.

Amanda, a mother whose daughter had Mooney as her sixth grade teacher, says she found out about his arrest the same way many parents did — scrolling through a community Facebook page.

Her daughter had trusted Mooney. He was one of her favorite teachers.

“Why weren’t the parents notified?” Amanda said. “Because we needed to have this discussion with our kids nine months ago. Not when he was indicted.”

What Court Documents Reveal

According to court documents, the school conducted an internal investigation into the allegations against Mooney.

During that investigation, Mooney submitted a written statement denying he had ever engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior in his classroom. That written denial is now at the center of a separate making a false statement charge.

Prosecutors say an 11-year-old student reported that Mooney exposed and pleasured himself in front of students in his classroom in October 2025.

Investigators found a rag under his desk that contained his DNA. In a second round of interviews, Mooney admitted to investigators he had pleasured himself in front of students, according to prosecutors.

Despite the internal investigation, parents of students who trusted Mooney say they were never told why he left — and their children were never offered any support.

Amanda says when she sat down with her daughter to discuss what happened, she asked whether the school had ever reached out. Her daughter told her no.

“They could see obviously how these kids were,” Amanda said.

School’s Silence

Mooney resigned from Richmond Hill Middle School in November 2025. Parents say they received no communication from the school about any investigation or charges against him.

It is unclear whether the district notified parents of students who were in that classroom.

Amanda says the silence from the district has only deepened the frustration for parents in the community.

“We need to know as parents that you’re being proactive as well,” she said.

“Because this man was employed here. DNA was found here. And staying silent... it speaks volumes.”

WTOC’s Efforts to Get Answers

WTOC reached out to the Bryan County School District multiple times but has not received a response.

WTOC has also filed a formal open records request seeking documents related to how the district handled this case, including whether parents and students were ever notified or offered support.

Mooney was originally arrested June 9, 2026, by the Pooler Police Department on an unrelated trespassing call, at which point an active warrant from Bryan County Sheriff’s Office was discovered. He was transported to the Chatham County Detention Center, where a hold was placed by Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.

WTOC will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they become available.