Image Credit: Hamilton County Jail, TN Sex Offender Registry, CMCSS & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News Staff –
Teachers continue to be held accountable for inappropriate and sometimes criminal behaviors in Tennessee schools.
Kenya White – Chattanooga Preparatory School
- White was sentenced last week to nearly 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He must register as a sex offender and complete sex offender treatment when released. Other charges included in last year’s indictment were dropped as part of the plea deal. White’s arrest led to an investigation into Chattanooga Preparatory School’s hiring processes after it was discovered that he had already been suspended from Hamilton County Schools for inappropriate messages with students. The investigation also uncovered the fact that 21 of the 45 teachers at the school were unlicensed, ultimately leading to the school being placed on probation.
Vaughn Hart – Rossview High School
- Hart was initially suspended for one day back in January after leaving notes for a substitute teacher that included “derogatory language to describe students.” The school noted additional complaints regarding Hart’s professionalism. Before Hart’s return to school, administrators received additional complaints regarding a video posted by Hart on Twitch, in which she discussed the situation and commented on how school administrators treated her. Following a new investigation, Hart was reassigned to the Adult High School on February 19, allowing her to keep the same calendar, salary, and benefits. She resigned on February 20, stating that she was “dissatisfied” and was “changing careers/leaving the teaching profession.”
Robert Jesse Hankins – Greater Things Christian School
- Hankins was arrested by Dickson County police after it was discovered that he had been volunteering at the Greater Things Christian School for years, despite being registered sex offender. 35-year-old Hankins was convicted in 2008 of possession/receiving/distribution of child pornography. He is restricted from being on the premises of schools, parks, or public athletic fields “if there is reason to believe children under 18 are present.”
Reports say Hankins volunteered with a number of school activities, including sound equipment and athletic events, and most recently cleared school parking lots with a tractor following the January ice storm.
The school released the following statement on February 26:
“There is at this time an ongoing, active investigation by local authorities regarding Mr. Hankins. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement at this time, and have been advised to refrain from making any public comments concerning this matter that might interfere with this investigation. We can tell you that our school remains committed, as its first priority, to ensuring the safety, privacy and well-being of all of our students. We have also purchased Raptor technology to run thorough background checks for all campus parents, visitors, volunteers, and vendors who have access to school property. We have also retained the services of the Crain Law Group in Brentwood, a firm specializing in the representation of churches, schools and Christian organizations, to ensure that all of our policies and procedures are based on best practices.”
Hankins is scheduled to appear in court on March 17.
Sources:
https://fox17.com/news/local/private-school-says-sex-offender-volunteered-on-dickson-county-campus
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/sex-offender-arrest-volunteering-at-dickson-county-school
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2026/2/25/515277/Former-Chattanooga-Prep-Teacher-Gets.aspx
