Some display, tweet support for accused Germantown teacher



GERMANTOWN -- Ever since the arrest of Germantown High School teacher Eric Glass, the school's been abuzz with talk about the charges. Prosecutors allege Glass had an inappropriate relationship with a student. Now, there's a show of support for Glass which many find inappropriate as well.

Glass is charged with three counts of sexual assault. This, for allegedly having a week-long relationship with a 17-year-old student.

This week, Dylan Leeper and four of his Germantown High School friends made their opinions on the charges known in class.

"We all met up one night and then we bought tanks and then we drew on them "I stand with" and then on the back "Glass" because we just want him to know that in this time of need there are people that support him," said Leeper.

The creation of the tank-top t-shirts received a mixed reaction from fellow students.

"I wasn't angered but i wasn't fully supportive," said Max Albiero.

"I thought it was more like a free speech thing," said Danielle Graf.

"A lot of students thought it was cool and that we were standing up for him and some students weren't fans but we knew that would be like that," said Leeper.

The idea grew out of a Twitter movement the night before. Using the hashtag #FreeGlass, mostly students were flooding the Twitterverse with statements for and against the accused teacher. The included messages such as, "he made a mistake like everyone, he shouldn't get 18 years for a crime of rape that goes both way" and "I disagree with the free glass stuff, if he was innocent then why did he keep his head down the whole hearing?"

Officials with the Germantown School District would not talk on camera. But they say the incidents did not disrupt any students' education.

The students who organized the t-shirt campaign took them off after being threatened with suspension.

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.

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