Two educators from Banks County Elementary School in Georgia have resigned due to an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Dr. Dana Simmons, the school’s principal, and Dylan Charles, a physical education teacher, are accused of having an affair and engaging in sexual activities on school grounds.
The investigation was launched after Banks County Superintendent Dr. Ann Hopkins reported being made aware of the allegations. In a meeting with administrators, Charles reportedly admitted to having an extramarital affair with Simmons for “several years”.
He also provided photos of them kissing and a video of them having sex in a car. Simmons initially denied the affair, but later admitted to it and denied having any sexual encounters at the school.
Charles’ wife, Kelsey, a third-grade teacher at the school, also admitted to having watched and filmed them. Kelsey claimed that Simmons “pressured her to allow her to have sex with her husband” and had “made promises to her about helping them with their careers”.
An attendance clerk who was described as a “confidant” of Simmons claimed to have seen a text from Kelsey asking if Simmons wanted to have sex with her husband. Meanwhile, a former paraprofessional at the school claimed that Simmons had once “approached her about joining a group of swingers”.
Investigators concluded in the report that there was “conclusive evidence” of the affair as well as evidence that sexual activity occurred on school grounds at least once.
News of Simmons’ resignation was shared on January 27, just days after the investigative report was published. School officials confirmed that Charles and his wife also resigned following the investigation.
The Professional Standards Commission is now investigating the incident. Dr. Ann Hopkins released a statement saying, “Any issues concerning unethical conduct are thoroughly investigated, addressed accordingly, and reported to the Professional Standards Commission as necessary. The educators involved are no longer teaching Banks County students. The safety and well-being of our students are always our first priority. The investigation into this event did not yield any indication that student safety or security was compromised.”
