MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) — A West Carteret High School teacher is facing felony peeping charges after his arrest on June 1, WNCT’s Clarie Curry reports.

Curry spoke with Atlantic Beach Police Chief Jeff Harvey, who confirmed the arrest. Mark Thompson, 50, has been suspended with pay pending an investigation, said Jennifer Johnson, Carteret County Public Schools’ public information officer.

Harvey told Curry that Thompson, who has served as a career and technical education teacher and tennis coach at the high school since 2006, was installing a WIFI device to capture images in the bathroom at his stepson’s trailer in Atlantic Beach. Harvey said he believe the stepson’s wife walked in on him attempting to install the cameras and notified the police.

Thompson was released on bond on June 1. Harvey said the Morehead City Police Department was notified about the felony since the Atlantic Beach Police Department is out of jurisdiction to investigate the school.

Johnson said the school system could not comment further since the investigation was ongoing. She said in a statement the investigation did not involve West Carteret High School or any students.

“Mr. Thompson was suspended with pay on June 1, 2023, pending an investigation. Due to privacy laws, we are unable to share further details of the investigation. We have been advised by law enforcement officers that the allegations against Mr. Thompson are not related to any school or his work as an educator and do not involve a student. 

“Broadly speaking, teacher employment laws provide that, under certain circumstances, off-duty conduct can impact an educator’s right to teach, and we, therefore, monitor the progress of any criminal court case that involves one of our educators.”