Tennessee High School Band Director Charged With Statutory Rape Coerced Students Into Fulfilling His “Hugging Quota”

Image Credit: SCSO & White House High School

Tennessee Conservative News [By Paula Gomes] –

The Sumner County, Tennessee, high school band director who was charged with statutory rape by an authority figure, a class B felony, coerced students into fulfilling his “hugging quota” according to a detective that testified during a preliminary hearing last week in the case.

A student told detectives that Dalton Hawkins would become “more manipulative and upset and sad” if he didn’t get “enough hugs throughout the day.”

Hawkins, 32, is currently in custody on a $2 million bond. He has admitted to sexual contact with one of his students, a 16-year-old, on two separate occasions, once in his office at White House High School and another time at a fast food restaurant. According to Sumner County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Hawkins had inappropriate conduct with at least three students. 

The former band director and his primary victim messaged back and forth hundreds of times and used an app that was neither cleared nor monitored by the school. Based on these communications, it was clear to detectives that Hawkins had met with the student on more than one occasion.

Parents of the other two students contacted law enforcement following Hawkins’ arrest to report that they had found inappropriate messages of a graphic nature between Hawkins and their children. 

While the defense requested that the case be dropped, saying it was based on prejudice, the judge refused stating that Hawkins was “extremely dangerous to the public.”

The case has been sent to the grand jury and Hawkins is expected back in court next month. He faces a minimum of eight years behind bars if found guilty.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.