A Jacksonville teacher is accused of turning a graphic design app into a covert chat line with a student, and now he is facing felony charges.
Police arrested River City Science Academy instructor Jackson Jordan Hull, 25, on Tuesday after detectives said he used the Canva design platform to send secret messages to a student and set up an in-person meetup. Investigators say the exchanges centered on the academy’s Beach Boulevard campus, and school leaders confirm Hull is no longer on staff while the case plays out.
According to News4JAX, Hull was booked into the Duval County jail following his arrest. He faces a second-degree felony charge of soliciting or engaging in a romantic relationship with a student and a third-degree felony count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Detectives said they recovered Canva messages preserved on the platform, seized a DVD loaded with screenshots, and noted that body-worn camera footage also exists.
Investigators told reporters Hull voluntarily went to the Police Memorial Building, where he was read his rights and agreed to speak with detectives.
In a statement to News4JAX, Principal Nicole Spanbauer wrote, "The individual is no longer associated with the school, and the matter has been referred to the appropriate authorities." She added that the school "will continue cooperating fully with any ongoing review" while emphasizing its obligations to protect student privacy.
What investigators say
Detectives say the Canva message history shows Hull and the student were alone together in March, and that he arranged to meet the student at a local park in April. A computer was listed among the items seized for the investigation. Police said no weapon, drugs or alcohol were involved.
Legal implications
Florida law prohibits any "authority figure" from soliciting or engaging in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student. That ban is laid out in Section 800.10 of the Florida Statutes, which classifies the offense as a second-degree felony.
The alleged misuse of technology falls under a separate state law. The unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony is addressed by Fla. Stat. 934.215, which makes such use a third-degree felony if it furthers another felony offense.
School and community context
River City Science Academy runs multiple campuses across Jacksonville and lists the Beach Boulevard location as its middle-high site, serving thousands of students across the network.
An earlier similar Duval County staff case drew attention last month to staff-student boundaries and highlighted recent policy changes around electronic communication that district leaders say are meant to reduce risky contact between adults and students.
