ANDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Clinton High School's principal has resigned as the school system investigates student grade and coursework record manipulation, Anderson County Schools said.
On Monday, ACS said its investigation revealed at least one student's records were likely manipulated to meet graduation requirements. At that point, ACS said it decided to suspend Clinton High School's principal and a teacher so it could investigate further.
ACS said the teacher, identified on Tuesday as Rachel Jones, is still suspended, but said Director of Schools Tim Parrott accepted Principal Dan Jenkins' resignation.
"Anderson County Schools continues to investigate this situation, and remains in communication with the Tennessee Department of Education regarding the same. As the materials and evidence being reviewed as part of this investigation stem from confidential student records, the school system can offer no further comment at this time," ACS said.
ACS said it is waiting for the full investigation to wrap up so it can have a better idea of the scope of what happened. Once that happens, it said it will release a full report to officials, parents and the community at an Anderson County Board of Education meeting.
Jenkins issued a statement about his resignation on Monday.
“In my 14 years at Clinton High, and the four most recent as its principal, I have been dedicated to my students, teachers and the entire community. I look forward to the facts coming to light in this matter and clearing my name,” he said.
WBIR 10News obtained Jenkins' personnel file from ACS. In it was his resignation letter, which appeared to have been handwritten on a page of loose-leaf paper with the words, "I resign my post effective 5/12/24," and his signature.
Also included was a letter to Jenkins from ACS Director Tim Parrott, which notified Jenkins that he was suspended without pay pending the outcome of an investigation into "serious allegations of unprofessional conduct, insubordination, and neglect of duty."
Other than that, Jenkins had been reprimanded and suspended for two days in 2021 for allowing the Clinton High School girl's basketball team attend a middle school tournament during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dec. 2020 while Governor Bill Lee's executive order restricting public school activities was still in effect, according to the file.
On April 12, ACS said Parrott named Amanda Powers, Clinton High School's assistant principal, to serve as the interim head principal.
"As an experienced educator and administrator, Director Parrott has full faith and confidence in Principal Powers as she leads Clinton High School through the remainder of this school year," ACS said.
Before he resigned, Jenkins was named the school's principal in May 2020. He had worked with the district for nearly 18 years starting in 2007, and previously taught social studies and coached soccer and swimming at CHS before taking on administrative roles. He then served as principal at Norwood Middle School, which was named a Reward School by the Tennessee Department of Education.
According to her personnel file, Rachel Jones taught math at Clinton High School and coached the school's bass fishing team -- leading students to compete in the Bassmaster High School National Championship in 2022 and 2023. Jones has taught at the school since 2011, and in 2019 was named Teacher of the Year. Her file contained one disciplinary note sent by Parrott from Dec. 2023 that said she was suspended without pay for two days for using profanity in front of students.
"After an investigation, it has been determined that you did use profanity while dealing with a student. It has also come to my attention that this is not the first time you have lost your temper and behaved in an unprofessional manner with staff and/or students," Parrott said in the letter.