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Teacher in identity theft case gets temporary class assignment

A Knox County Schools teacher has received a temporary assignment while identity theft charges against her are pending.

UPDATE NOV. 3: The Knox County Schools teacher put on leave after identity theft charges were placed against her now has a temporary assignment with the school system.

Ashley Wright was removed from administrative leave Oct. 19, according to Knox County Schools spokeswoman Carly Harrington. She was scheduled to go back to work Oct. 20 as a teaching assistant for a personal accountability class at A.L. Lotts Elementary School, Harrington said.

"The position is a temporary assignment while Ms. Wright's charges are pending," Harrington said in an email.

Personal accountability classes are for students with behavior "issues," according to Harrington.

Three identity theft charges against Wright are pending before a Knox County grand jury after a preliminary hearing for her was waived Oct. 10, according to records.

PREVIOUS STORY: A Knox County Schools teacher has been charged with identity theft and placed on leave.

Ashley Wright, a teacher at Whittle Springs Middle School, was charged with three counts of identity theft in crimes alleged to have been committed between June and August of this year.

In one case, Wright allegedly went online and applied for a credit card using the victim's personal information. She then spent more than $3,000 on the card, according to the warrant.

In another case, Wright allegedly used a victim's credit card to make multiple purchases totaling approximately $2,990.

In a final case, Wright allegedly applied for a loan online using someone else's personal information.

In a statement, Wright's attorney Jonathan Cooper wrote, "Mrs. Wright has dedicated herself to her students and the teaching profession, and none of the allegations relate in any way to her duties as a teacher or to her employment. We are investigating these charges and look forward to addressing them at the appropriate time in court."

Knox County Schools confirmed that Wright is an employee of the school district and has been placed on leave. The school district could not comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

Wright is listed on the Whittle Springs Middle School website as a 6th grade teacher.

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