(11/14/07 – Initial BBT Report)

Richard Dennis Whitehead, a former English teacher at Bainbridge High School, in Bainbridge, Georgia has been convicted in a two-day bench trial and sentenced on nine counts of sexual assault of a person in custody.

Superior Court Judge Wallace Cato found Whitehead guilty of having sex with a then-17-year-old female student on nine occasions between March 23 and April 20, 2007.

Judge Cato then imposed the maximum 30 year sentence on Whitehead and ordered that he serve at least 20 years of that sentence as prison time.

Additionally Whitehead will have to register as a sex offender, cannot teach and must restrict his involvement with children whenever he is released on parole.

Although Whitehead’s sexual contact with the student was consensual Georgia law prohibits anyone with supervisory control over another person from engaging in sexual contact with that person, regardless of their age.

Whitehead came to the attention of authorities when friends of the girl saw inappropriate text messages of a sexual nature on the girl’s cellphone and told the girl’s mother. The mother took the victim to the sheriff’s office and deputies used the victim’s cellphone to set up a meeting with Whitehead. When Whitehead arrived at the church where the victim stated the alleged sexual contact took place he was arrested.

10/31/09 – Conviction Overturned

The Georgia Court of Appeals has reversed the conviction of Richard Dennis Whitehead.

The Court of Appeals held that Whitehead’s sexual contact with the student was not a crime in light of the recent George Supreme Court ruling regarding consensual sex between teachers and students who are of the age of consent.

References:

Whitehead conviction reversed (10/23/09)

Former teacher headed to prison for sex with student (11/14/07)

Background:

Teacher charged with sexual assault (4/24/07)

Teacher arrested for sex with student (4/24/07)

(10/30/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Jerry Wesley Kight, 42, a former teacher at the Mountain Area Christian Academy in Morganton, Georgia has reportedly pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female student.

Kight pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault in plea deal under which charges of child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes were dropped.

As a result of his guilty plea, Kight was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by 21 years probation and lifetime registration as a sex offender.

Also, Kight can no longer work as a teacher or have any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18, nor can he reside or be in or near an area where children congregate.

Kight who was arrested on July 24, 2008 had been free on $30,000 bond.

(10/29/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Jacqueline Connally, 22, a former Fulton County, Georgia school bus driver has reportedly been arrested on allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a then 16-year-old male student who attends Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia.

Reportedly, Connally was arrested at her apartment in Union City on charges of misdemeanor sexual assault, but overnight the charge was upgraded to a felony count of sexual battery.

A spokesman for the Fulton County School System said the district acted on a tip from another student about the alleged relationship. The school system spokesperson indicated that Connally, who was in her second year as a driver, was fired after the district learned of the alleged relationship with a male student.

Reportedly, Connally came to the attention of authorities by way of a tip from another student about the alleged relationship.

Connally will make an initial court appearance today.

10/30/09 – Initial Court Appearance

Jacqueline Connally made an initial court appearance on Thursday at which Fulton Magistrate Judge James Altman ordered the sexual battery charge changed to sexual assault owing to Connally’s supervisory position over the student as a bus driver.

Bail for Connally was set at $20,000 and Altman ordered that Connally have no unsupervised contact with anyone under age 18.

A preliminary hearing for Connally was scheduled for November 12th and she was subsequently freed on bond.