Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Demond Means and Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran sent an email to CCHS parents and staff on Aug. 29, informing of a teacher’s resignation due to their inappropriate text messages with a student. Photo background by Zoe Peterson.
In an email shared with Clarke Central High School staff and parents on the morning of Aug. 29, it was stated that a CCHS teacher resigned due to inappropriate texts they shared with a student.
On the morning of Aug. 29, Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran and Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Demond Means sent an email to CCHS parents and staff to inform them of “a safety and moral turpitude situation”, which resulted in the resignation of a CCHS teacher.
“(On Aug. 25), the (CCSD) was informed of a potentially inappropriate text message exchange between (CCHS) teacher and student. School district officials contacted law enforcement immediately upon learning of the situation,” read the email. “While inappropriate, the text messages did not warrant employee discipline in the form of termination or criminal arrest.”
According to the email, more text messages were shared with the CCSD during the weekend, leading to further communication with local law enforcement and a meeting with the teacher in question on Monday.
“First thing on (Aug.) 28, school district officials and law enforcement officers met with the former (CCHS) teacher. After a brief and candid conversation with the teacher, a resignation from the school district was accepted effective immediately,” read the email. “Furthermore, the (CCSD) notified state officials of this resignation and the circumstances surrounding it.”
Students did not receive the email about the incident. However, some heard about it through other students who were spreading rumors “detailing” the events.
“I was just like, ‘Wow. It’s sad.’ I heard the (name of the teacher alleged by students). I didn’t hear anything else besides that. Most people were saying the names though,” CCHS freshman Jasmine Francis said.
CCHS freshman Katlyn Royal, who had not heard anything about the incident, feels that the email should have been shared with students.
“I feel like (students) should know too, because it could have been like that same teacher was sending you text messages, so I feel like if it got sent to everyone, maybe students would speak up about it to other teachers,” Royal said.
Curriculum Assistance Program for Students department teacher Carla Johnson, who found out about the incident through the email, feels that the situation was handled correctly and that parents should determine what their student is informed of.
“Everything seemed to be in order as far as how the email was written and what it stated. I think the way they handled the situation (was appropriate),” Johnson said. “I think the information is really faculty and staff, and also parents. If parents want to discuss that with their students, I think that’s up to the parents to handle with their students. Because I am a parent and that would be for me to handle.”
Community member Joan Stroer White, however, was not fully satisfied with the details Yuran and Means provided in the email.
“(There are) lots of gaps in the district’s story. Was he allowed to resign before or after the (problem) became a criminal one? And don’t parents at least get to know the approximate nature of the (problem)?” White said in the CCSD Town Hall group on Facebook.
Despite calls for more more information, due to the ongoing criminal investigation, the email states that administration cannot share more details. Yuran and Means conclude by assuring parents and staff of the district’s commitment to keeping its students safe.
“The teacher in question is no longer employed in the school district,” read the email. “We are grateful to the vigilant contributions from students and staff at (CCHS) who helped alert us to this situation. Thank you; for your assistance in keeping our school safe.”
The ODYSSEY Media Group will update this story as more information is made public.
