BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — Blount County Commissioners passed a resolution Thursday night urging state lawmakers to take away teachers' teaching licenses and retirement funds if they are convicted of abusing children.
The proposal came after former Joseph Dalton, a former Blount County Schools teacher, pleaded guilty to five offensive touching misdemeanor charges in September.
School records detail a pattern of parents reporting inappropriate behavior, including accusations of touching students' bodies, between Dalton and students that dates back to 2005. The records also show Dalton was moved from school to school before he resigned from his position with the district in 2023.
State records show his teaching license is still active.
"Currently we have somebody getting their wrist slapped because they plead guilty," said Mike Akard, a Blount County commissioner. "That would no longer, that could no longer happen in that way. And that has a lot of teeth."
Based on the way Tennessee laws are written, offensive touching charges are misdemeanors that carry a sentence of up-to six months behind bars for each charge.
Dalton is still awaiting sentencing and Blount County Schools hasn't directly responded to questions about why he was allowed to remain at the district for nearly 20 years after the first complaints against him were made.
Akard sponsored the proposal and said the resolution is still just a suggestion to lawmakers.
Another Blount County teacher is currently being investigated by the Blount County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office said Shane Rewis, a former Heritage High School teacher and track coach, is under investigation. It declined to comment on why Rewis was being investigated.
Blount County Schools confirmed Rewis resigned from the district. 10News has requested Rewis' personnel file.