(12/03/08 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Matthew Blanton, 28, a former teacher and boys’ head basketball coach at Model High School in Rome, Georgia has been arrested on a felony sexual assault charge on allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a female student.

It is alleged that Blanton kissed and fondled the female student on school property between October 1 and November 17.

Reportedly school officials supplied police with a video tape of Blanton “having contact” with the alleged victim.

Following his arrest Blanton was reportedly released on $7,350 bail.

Blanton was the subject of an investigation by the school system and was subsequently fired.

Fellow teacher and assistant basketball coach Daniel Brown was initially reported to assume Blanton’s duties, however he too was arrested on allegations of a sexual relationship with another female student. He too was reportedly fired by the school system.

Webmaster’s note: We would like to thank an anonymous reader for bringing the cases of Matthew Blanton and Daniel Brown to our attention.

12/09/08 – Investigation Continues, New Details Available

The Rome News-Tribune, which obtained copies of case documents under the Georgia Open Records Act, reports that although Matthew Blanton told school officials that he had only been alone with the 16-year-old student once for “maybe 10 seconds” and interview with the girl’s mother indicated that Blanton told the student he and his wife were getting a divorce and the student admitted kissing Coach Blanton and admitted that he touched her bottom.

Reportedly investigators have confirmed the existence of a videotape that showed Blanton having contact with the student.

11/20/09 – Charges Dropped

Sexual assault charges filed against Matthew Douglas Blanton have been “dead docketed” by the court, effectively dismissing the charges.

The dismissal is the result of a June 2009 ruling in Chase v. State by the Georgia Supreme Court. A ruling which effectively legalized consensual sex between teachers and students in Georgia.

(12/03/08 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Daniel Brown, 30, a former teacher and assistant boys’ basketball coach at Model High School in Rome, Georgia has been arrested on allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a female student.

Brown was arrested on felony sexual assault charges and following his arrest was released on $7,350 bail.

According to investigators, Brown and the victim had conversations at the school where they exchanged phone numbers that enabled them to keep in contact.

The alleged sexual activity between Brown and the girl reportedly took place at the school and at Brown’s residence.

Brown was an assistant coach to boys’ head basketball coach Matthew Blanton, who himself was arrested on an identical charge to Brown for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a different female student.

Brown was initially set to replace Blanton as head coach, however like Blanton, Brown was also fired by the school system following an investigation into the allegations of an inappropriate teacher-student relationship.

Both Daniel Brown and Matthew Blanton were fired by the school system and at the same school board meeting.

Webmaster’s note: We would like to thank an anonymous reader for bringing the cases of Matthew Blanton and Daniel Brown to our attention.

12/09/08 – Investigation Continues, New Details Available

The Rome News-Tribune, which obtained copies of case documents under the Georgia Open Records Act, reports that Daniel Brown told school official that the student did spend one night at his house and that he did kiss her, but that he did not fondle her and they did not have sex.

The girl allegedly told school officials of having sex with Brown and spending the night with him on three or four occasions.

11/09/09 – Court Orders Charges Dropped

A Georgia Supreme Court ruling has resulted in the sexual assault charges against Daniel Lowell Brown being dropped.

This latest dismissal is the result of the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Chase v State in June 2009, a ruling which legalized consensual sex between teachers and students in the state of Georgia.

(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)