MARYVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Board of Education is still reviewing the teaching license of a former Blount County Schools physical education teacher who was recently convicted of inappropriately touching kids after more than a decade of complaints.
Joseph Dalton's teaching license is still technically active in Tennessee, but it is currently under review.
Dalton pleaded guilty on Sept. 4 to five misdemeanor offensive touching charges. Reports from the Blount County Sheriff's Office detailed years of complaints against Dalton from parents and students, alleging a pattern of him inappropriately touching children.
A representative with the state board told 10News on Wednesday that state regulation does not prohibit a licensed educator from being employed by a school or school system while their license is under review, as long the license is still active.
According to state rules, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor could result in the revocation, suspension or formal reprimand of a teacher's license.
When a license is placed under review, the review itself doesn't bar a person from being employed. The hiring decision is made by individual school districts, the representative said.
Complaints about Dalton's behavior were first filed in 2005, when a Porter Elementary School student said they'd been touched by the former teacher.
Gracie Jones said she's the first person who filed a complaint against Dalton, and she's speaking up now to advocate for others.
"I felt, I remember at the time, I felt so disgusted," she said. "I was uncomfortable and it's just disgusting the way I felt, and I didn't know what sexual assault was at the time, but I knew it was wrong."
Multiple complaints about Dalton were made from 2005 until 2023, when he resigned from his position with Blount County Schools after Blount County District Attorney General Ryan Desmond opened an investigation into the allegations.
Records from the district showed Dalton was reprimanded after the complaints. He was allowed to continue to work for the district.
Dalton worked at Walland, Townsend, Porter and Friendsville elementary schools throughout his tenure.
Blount County Schools has not directly answered 10News' questions about why Dalton was able to remain employed, despite years of complaints against him.
Blount County commissioners voted last week in favor of expanding the investigation into Dalton. During the meeting, a district representative said BCS is considering hiring a third-party investigation into human resources, but the group would only want to investigate the past decade.
The Blount County Commission voted in favor of an investigation that spans the past 20 years.
