The Richmond County school system issued a statement Friday afternoon clearing the graduation coach at Spirit Creek Middle School of any involvement in the sex scandal that took place there.
On Monday, Superintendent Dana Bedden named John Barksdale during a news conference to discuss an alleged love triangle that occurred at Spirit Creek.
"His reprimand is based on information of certain events that took place separate of the main incident alleging sexual improprieties," the statement said.
Mr. Barksdale asked for the statement to be released, wanting to distance himself from the alleged incident between workers at the school last year.
The school's former public safety officer, a former teacher and a third employee all are accused of having had sex on campus during school hours.
Mr. Barksdale said Friday that he knew nothing about the sex scandal until this school year.
When confronted by internal affairs during the investigation, he admitted to giving former Principal Sharon McAlevy a celebratory smack on the behind. This caused his reprimand.
"I'll never diminish the (butt) slap," Mr. Barksdale, 31, said. "But for me to be connected to a sex scandal is a career killer."
Mr. Barksdale began serving as the school's graduation coach last year, and the former North Carolina State football player described himself as a "rah rah guy," someone who regularly gives high fives and bumps chests like athletes do.
"One hiccup in life shouldn't define who you are," he said. "I think my job as an educator will pass all this by, but it still stings."
His hope is to clear the school's name also.
"Why two or three people's actions make us all villains, I'll never know," Mr. Barksdale said, adding that the attention should now focus on the accomplishments of Spirit Creek.
"These kids have enough challenges in here," he said.
Mr. Barksdale has become the unofficial peacemaker between rival gangs, encouraging some of them to give up their gang affiliations to concentrate on school work. He said he has even taken some behind the school to burn their gang colors.
Spirit Creek also made adequate yearly progress for the first time in several years last year. If it makes it again this year, it will be removed from the "needs improvement" list.
Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
The press release regarding the gradualtion coach, John Barksdale at Spirit Creek is shameful. For Superintendent Dana Bedden to first clump him into the other mess is clearly unprofessional and a travesty. Secondly, for Dr. Bedden not to come forward with a personal press conference, the same time and attention as the first, is cowardly. Dr. Dana Beiden needs to personally make this right publicly and not allow the Augusta Chronicle to clean up is ignorance
I'm interested in why the article says the school public safety officer, a teacher and another EMPLOYEE. What position did the employee hold?
Evidently you have a personal problem with Dr. Bedden? I would be interested in knowing have yo u made any positive comments about him? If this person would not have slapped someone on their [filtered word], his name would not have been mentioned period. By the way if everyone was perfect and made no mistakes, why would we need erasers and white out?
What are the names of the teachers who DID have sex ?
More worthless coach problems. When will the schools get down to the job of education and forgive these parasite positions?
So...... the principal is upset with Barksdale because he gave her a playful slap on the rump and pressed charges against him BUT meanwhile she is bumping and riding the safety officer on his blow up mattress in his office and hey that is OK???????
Hypo, As always you have to come to the rescue of yet another member of the Black community. As if Dr. Bedden were a novice and unsure of himself. I think Dr.Bedden can take care of himself just fine. And yes, Leaders who are awarded bonuses FOR Leadership Excellence should be far superior to the actions exhibited here. This type of public misstep shows a lack of dilligence. The actions of Mr. Barksdale in curtailing the gang activity among the student body at Spirit Creek is courageous and commendable. And a person of his charachter should not have been slighted in this manner. Though I do not approve of his actions, ie the butt slap. He deserved better treatment than the recieved regarding this matter.
Oh Barksdale what a hiccup. This is trying to make light of a white man’s indiscretion. The man is 31 years of age and he doesn’t know that you don’t hit an adult female (and McAlvey is a married female) on the butt for any reason. So, “silent” Dr. Bedden is not ignorant – it sounds like Barksdale is. If slapping women on the butt was his norm because he is such a jock then why wasn’t he hitting every female around Spirit Creek on the butt when he wanted to congratulate them. In corporate America and every other job this would be sexual harassment. So, Barksdale should be thanking God and his lucky stars because he has angels down there at the Board looking out for him. This is the real cover up.
Just what in the H___ is a Graduation Coach that I am funding with my tax dollars? Talk about pork, this is a prime example. I just wonder if they have a Public Relations specialist at Spirit Creek also, I know they don't have money for a video surveillance system! Maybe the A.C. could do an article on what employees the RCBOE actually has in the schools and what they do to better the EDUCATION of reading, writting and arithmetic!
Mad about a butt slap but having sex at school. What an oxymoron. Bad judgement on one and disgusting on the other.
Maybe he was walking down the hall swinging his arms and couldn't help but hit that big ol butt
So sorry John, Keep your head up.
Mr Barksdale's comment: "Why two or three people's actions make us all villains, I'll never know," is a reflection of the public's idea that people who hold positions of authority are held accountable at a much higher level of standards. It is no different when an officer violates legal and moral standards where one officer who goes astray taints the entire department. It has to do with violating the public trust; once that occurs, it is difficult to repair. Society has no obligation to allow a select few to educate their young or enforce the laws, but prefers to confer such authority to a select few. It is because of this public trust that the level of legal and moral standards are higher than that of the average citizen. And that is the way it should be. The public has the right to demand the best possible in human character from those selected for any position of authority. This expectation is not reserved for educators and law enforcement, it also applies to any individual elected/appointed to other governing offices.
Given the behaviors of both local and national politicians it is no wonder that there is a lack of public trust in our government--rules of law and ethics have been so violated that the people know they have lost control, particularly at the national level. Therefore, when we see violation of public trust in our local law enforcement agencies and educational facilities, the people become much more harsh in their reaction towards wrongdoing. Mr Barksdale has obviously been to a school of higher education and should know this--unless he either slept through or skipped classes that teach professional ethics.
The young and the restless
Governor Sonny Perdue during the 2006 legislative session, allows each of Georgia’s high schools and middle schools to employ a coach. This is the first program of its kind to be implemented statewide. The coach’s primary responsibility is to identify at-risk students and help them succeed in school by keeping them on track academically before they consider dropping out. The coaches identify, recruit and engage parents and concerned adults, organizations and government agencies to serve in a variety of ancillary roles. The Georgia Department of Education and Communities In Schools provides
And you have a problem with this because????
TU as always you find a way to bring race into a situation. This has nothing to do with race but people like you find a way to bring it up.
John is a good guy who made a mistake... you shouldn't judge him if you don't know him.. He does much more good than harm, and it takes a man to admit his mistakes, which is just what he has done...
think of all of the butt smackers that commit crimes during football games and basketball games.
This article is absolutely ridiculous. Barksdale is far from the saint he has made himself out to be. He has played off a criminal offense of sexual battery by saying he is just a motivator. He doesn't clear up why he failed the lie detector test about his sexual involvement with the principal in his article. Dr. Bedden from day one has not lied or tried to cover up anything. This is the second time Barksdale has played the victim in a case where he was wrong. The first time he was the director at the aquatics center and the recreation director, who is a personnal friend of the Barksdale family, got him out of that mess. Now I guess he is using his girlfriends media ties (she is a news reporter) to get him out of this. Barksdale, if you are trying to clean up Spirit Creeks image, you need to start by resigning like your secret sex buddy Mcalvey did.
It all starts and finishes with leadership. If you have competent leaders who have morals, this will permeate through the staff. SCMS has had a decline in leadership since it was once a Georgia School of Excellece years ago. Hopefully the new principal can turn things around. She deserves the community's support and a fair shot. Meanwhile, Dr. Bedden is the most honest superintendent that RC has ever had, not even close. Larke and his predecessors never had a press conference to address issues like this, heck, the Chronicle had to dig out information through the Freedom of Information Act. Finally, this has been a total disgrace for the system and needs to be cleaned up and completed so the school can move on.
The "third employee" description is unusual journalistic practice if the school position was in fact known.
iletuknow and dissman -- Ignorance is alive and well with both of you !! He is a GRADUATION COACH !! This has nothing to do with SPORTS !! Counties have hired graduation coaches, who are actually certified professionals to help the kids who have gone astray. They are the ones that HELP the school system make AYP. Dr. Bedden did not handle this item correctly this time. Don't get me wrong though, I really like Dr. Bedden, and think he will make the Richmond County School System better.
A slap on the butt does not spell sex scandal and I don't blame the graduation coach for being [filtered word] off about being thrown into it. The people to blame for this mess are the adults who were involved. You would think that adult educators would know better. With that said, adultrous behavior happens everyday but keep it off school property, you are getting paid to teach, not get laid......
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