BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Former Blount County Schools employee Joseph Dalton was arrested last year, over allegations of inappropriately touching elementary students on at least five different occasions.

Multiple parents who spoke to 6 News expressed anger about the sentencing outcome. Dalton pleaded guilty to five counts of misdemeanor assault by physical contact and was sentenced to six months of probation. He was granted judicial diversion, allowing the charges to be expunged once the probation is completed.

“The children have to come first,” said Crystal Dawn, a Maryville mother.

Blount County parents are upset by this outcome and are planning to speak their minds at an arranged protest on Friday. Clarissa Webb is the mother of a child with special needs; she advocates for being a voice for children who may not have one.
“What if it was her? She can’t tell me if something happened and that’s just the whole reason for me wanting to speak up about it is because she doesn’t have that voice,” explained Webb.
This is a crime that is considered a misdemeanor offense.

“So even though they could not find evidence of sexual or prurient nature, they felt it important to bring a number of misdemeanor charges for offensive touching. That is very significant because it can impact somebody’s current and future employment as a teacher or an educator,” said Greg Isaacs, a WATE-TV legal analyst.

As a mother, Dawn worries greatly for the safety of her children.

“It’s very maddening to know that the people that we trust our children with when they’re away from us at school could potentially be harming our children,” said Dawn.

Isaacs explained to 6 News that this case is significant for what it is and for what it was not charged as.

Dalton’s teaching license is currently still active. A spokesperson for the Tennessee State Board of Education told 6 News that each case must be presented in a review committee meeting for a recommendation on a potential license action. The spokesperson added the board will gather all information from the court and conduct any necessary follow-ups before doing so.