A now-former East Jackson Comprehensive High School paraprofessional and assistant basketball coach was arrested last week in Banks County for improper sexual contact with a student.
Michael Lee Stanley, 29, of Royston was arrested by Banks County deputies on Jan. 15 and charged with four counts of first-degree improper sexual contact by an employee of a school, said Banks County Sheriff’s Capt. Carissa McFaddin.
Stanley was no longer employed by the school system at the time of his arrest, said April Howard, Ed.D., superintendent of Jackson County Schools.
“We parted ways in mid-December, as soon as we were made aware of a potential relationship or inappropriate contact,” Howard said Tuesday. “We immediately contacted law enforcement and got our sheriff’s department involved, so this has been an ongoing investigation since December.”
Stanley joined Jackson County Schools in October 2017, Howard said.
“He no longer works for us – hasn’t worked for us since mid-December, but he did serve here as a parapro,” in addition to serving as an assistant basketball coach, Howard said.
Howard said appropriate background checks were run on Stanley, as they are for other prospective employees, and that his background check was clean.
McFaddin said the incidents that resulted in the charges involved a female East Jackson High School student and occurred in Banks County.
Stanley has been released on a $20,000 bond.
The investigation is active and ongoing, McFaddin said Tuesday.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/1/869521/east-jackson-coach-arrested-for-alleged-inappropriate-contact-with-student