Addressing Revelations Regarding a Second Teacher Abuser

Today’s revelation of another teacher abuser who was allowed to remain in his position for more than a decade and then allowed to leave quietly has shaken me to my core. We as a community are indebted to the brave former student who chose to come forward and share her story. I honor those who trust us with their most vulnerable experiences and hope it encourages others to speak out. I will work hard to do right by them.

I grew up in Chattanooga, TN and had the privilege of attending the McCallie School, where the core values were HONOR, TRUTH, and DUTY. Those words keep coming back to me during my campaign for school board.

I want to acknowledge the district has taken important initial steps—investigating reports, immediately reporting all new victim reports to CPS, and forming a committee to review training and protocols. These actions are necessary, but they are not sufficient to address what we're facing.

We live in a community of excellence, from the classroom to the sports field. But it is clear that, in some ways, maintaining the outward appearance of excellence has done us a disservice. When people don't feel empowered to speak up the moment they see something wrong, everyone is at risk.

We still have hard questions to answer: What were the conditions that allowed these predators to thrive as popular and respected teachers? Where and WHY were choices made prioritizing adult interests over student safety?

The real path to student safety lies in instilling a district culture of responsibility for the well-being of others. We must elevate TRUTH and transparency over comfort and self-protection.We must honor our DUTY to protect the vulnerable and hold accountable the decision-makers responsible at the time of reporting.

Students cannot learn if they do not believe in themselves, in the teachers whose job it is to support them, and in the district whose job it is to keep them safe. If we don’t model what it means to do the right thing even when it is hard, ESPECIALLY when it is hard, we fail to provide every student a good education which enables them to move into adulthood with strength and confidence. I will do the hard work to fulfill that commitment. It is what our students deserve.