Two local middle school teachers have been arrested for alleged inappropriate conduct with students.
Alan Otwell Toney, a teacher at Georgetown K-8, and Kayla Emily Zittrouer, a teacher at Effingham County Middle School, both face felony charges.
Pooler police arrested Toney on Monday after a student’s mother told them he sent texts of a sexual nature to her 13-year-old daughter who’s one of his students.
Toney, 43, of Richmond Hill, was charged with sexual exploitation of children and obscene telephone contact with a minor. The first charge is a felony.
Toney will not return to Georgetown where he taught eighth grade, said Kurt Hetager, Savannah-Chatham schools’ spokesman.
“The contacts he made happened outside the school operations and then were reported properly to police officials,” Hetager said.
Because Toney is a contracted employee, he is being reassigned to a non-classroom position, Hetager said. He has been at Georgetown since August 2012.
“We’re fully cooperating with the police,” Hetager said.
A Pooler police officer wrote in his report that the 13-year-old’s mother showed him the cellphone to which Toney had allegedly been sending texts of a sexual nature.
“(The mother) showed me the cellphone where the text messages were being received, and the complaint was validated,” the officer reported.
“While it’s important to clarify this is only an allegation, we take these types of complaints extremely serious and will continue to investigate it as thoroughly as possible,” said Pooler Police Chief Mark Revenew. “Our department is working with the Chatham County Board of Education Police to interview all available witnesses, and carefully review all of the evidence.
“All of this will ultimately be presented to the district attorney’s office for review and any determination of subsequent prosecution.”
Effingham County deputies said Zittrouer, 22, of Guyton turned herself in to authorities and was charged with three counts of computer pornography, first degree cruelty to children, sexual assault by a teacher or other administrator engaged in sexual contact, enticing a child for indecent purposes and child molestation.
“The investigation revealed that (Zittrouer) provided a 14-year-old student with obscene pictures and had inappropriate sexual contact with the student,” said sheriff’s office Sgt. Don White.
School Superintendent Randy Shearouse said an investigation started Thursday and the teacher was put on administrative leave. Zittrouer quit Monday.
Zittrouer, a special education teacher, started with the school system in January, Shearouse said.
“It’s very disappointing and disturbing,” Shearouse said. “We are very apologetic.”
He said the school system acted swiftly when it learned about the problem.
“Teachers receive training in appropriate ethics,” he said. “You expect them to adhere to those standards.”
Shearouse said the Board of Education will consider Zittrouer’s resignation at their meeting April 1. He also said the board will notify the Professional Standards Commission, which handles teacher certification.
Shearouse said parents can be assured that their children are safe going to school. “I would not worry about sending my child to school,” he said.
In a letter to parents of students at Georgetown, Principal Kelli Hamilton said she could not release any information on the “personnel matter.”
“A qualified substitute teacher has immediately been put in place as we remain focused on teaching and learning,” Hamilton said. “We appreciate your continued support of our school and want to assure you that Georgetown K-8 will continue to work in the interest of a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for all students.”
Revenew asked that anyone with information on the matter involving Toney call Pooler police at 912-748-7333 or the anonymous CrimeStoppers service at 912-234-2020.