Tennessee Teachers Face Charges Of Child Sex Crimes, Assault, Physical Abuse, Sexual Battery & More...

Tennessee Teachers Face Charges Of Child Sex Crimes, Assault, Physical Abuse, Sexual Battery & More…

February 20, 2026
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aggravated statutory rape, Amanda Bruce, Assault, Blount County, Blount County Schools, child sex crimes, Clarksville, Clarksville Montgomery County Schools, Heritage High School, Johnson City, Johnson City Schools, Jonathan Jones, Liberty Christian Academy, Loudon County, Loudon County Schools, McMinnville, Memphis, Memphis Shelby County Schools, Metro Nashville Schools, Minors, Physical Abuse, sexual battery, sexual exploitation, Shane Rewis, Shelby County, Sherwood Middle School, Sullivan County, Sullivan County Schools, Teachers, Tennessee, Tyler Harmon, Vaughn Hart

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Tennessee Conservative News Staff –

Tennessee teachers continue to make the news but not in a positive way, finding themselves facing charges of child sex crimes, physical abuse, and other inappropriate behaviors.

Amanda Bruce – Loudon County Schools

Bruce was arrested after a 12-year-old student from North Middle School reported on January 28 that she had kicked the student in the buttocks. An investigation revealed red marks on the child. Bruce has been charged with assault and was released on a $5000 bond.

*Amanda Bruce (Loudon County Sheriff’s Office)*

Tyler Harmon – Johnson City Schools/Sullivan County Schools

Harmon was arrested in November 2025 after it was reported that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a minor. He allegedly convinced the victim to meet him and engage in sexual activities on several occasions. Harmon pleaded not guilty to charges of two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is set to return to court on May 7. Harmon was employed at Johnson City Schools from January 2011 to September 2021. He was with Sullivan County Schools until June 2025.

Vaughn Hart – Clarksville/Montgomery County Schools

Hart was suspended after allegedly leaving “unprofessional and inappropriate comments directed towards students” in her notes for a substitute teacher on January 16. Her notes detailed how inclusion students were confined to one area at the back of the classroom, while ELL students were allowed to sleep or work in other classes. Jean Luna-Vedder, director of schools, also stated that she had “unacceptable performance.” It was also reported that those notes were left on her desk where students could have accessed them.

Kelsey Whitmore – Memphis Shelby County Schools

Whitmore, a teacher at Sherwood Middle School, was arrested on February 13 and charged with soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means after allegedly sending explicit photos and videos to a student. Police records reveal that the victim’s mother discovered the images on her son’s iPad, which had been given to him by Whitmore for Christmas. Whitmore also allegedly took the boy to dinner, had his nails and hair done, and gifted him with an iPhone as well. She is currently out on a $75,000 bond.

Jonathan Jones – Metro Nashville Schools

Jones was arrested on February 18 on charges of online solicitation of a minor for aggravated statutory rape. Jones was employed as a math teacher at Pearl-Cohn High School; the school district has stated that he is on administrative leave pending the investigation and that the minor victim is not a student in Metro Nashville Public Schools. He was reportedly transported to the Putnam County Jail where he is being held on a $100,000 bond.

*Jonathan Jones (Cookeville Police Department)*

Shane Howard Rewis – Blount County Schools

Rewis, a former teacher at Heritage High School, has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a 2024 indictment of three counts of attempted exploitation of a minor by electronic means. He was accused of “inappropriate communication with a student that is explicit” on social media. He was sentenced to three years in jail, minus time served, as well as 10 years of supervised probation. He will be required to register as a sex offender.

*Shane Howard Rewis (Blount County Sheriff’s Office)*

Jason Kennedy – Liberty Christian Academy

Kennedy, former principal of Liberty Christian Academy in McMinnville, was sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty on four counts of sexual battery. He will also have to register as a sex offender. Kennedy was initially charged with multiple counts including sexual activity involving a minor, solicitation of a minor, and violation of the Child Protect Act after he and school secretary Brittany Branham allegedly engaged in sexual activity with as many as four teenaged students in 2022.