In the press release, the school said that Thomas has been known to be an "affectionate person."
"Mr. Thomas has acknowledged that he is an affectionate person, and he is known to readily hug others, both as a member of our staff and in his personal life," the release said.
The school did not immediately return requests for comment on Thursday evening.
East Hill Christian School said that "nothing is more important to us than the well-being of children entrusted to our care."
"While these allegations are still under review and have not been substantiated, the actions that gave rise to them are of deep concern to all of us whose priority is the welfare of our 400-plus students," the press release said. "Such behavior is not appropriate and cannot be tolerated in an academic setting. After school administrators interviewed these students, the Board of Directors determined that the school should place Mr. Thomas on leave and will take all appropriate measures upon conclusion of the investigation."