A woman who formerly taught at a Polk County elementary school has been arrested on charges of sexual contact with a Polk County School District student.

Sante Alana Duncan faces charges of sexual assault by a person who has supervisory or disciplinary authority of another individual, according to a report by Northwest Georgia News. The former Cedartown Elementary School teacher turned herself in Tuesday at the Polk County Jail.

The Polk School District Police Department issued the warrant Wednesday after the district received information about Duncan allegedly having improper contact with a student, Chief Michael McGee told the publication. The 27-year-old most recently served as the music teacher at Cherokee Elementary School in Cedartown.

The victim is reportedly a Polk School District student but not one at Cherokee Elementary, McGee said Wednesday, but he offered no further details about the student. Duncan resigned earlier this month shortly after being confronted with the allegations. She remained in jail Wednesday without bond.

Duncan, who reportedly lives in Dallas, has taught since 2016, according to her webpage on the Polk County Schools site. She started working at Cherokee Elementary School in 2018, where she had been responsible for teaching music education. She also taught drum majors at North Paulding High School.

Polk School District issued a statement Wednesday morning letting parents know that it was aware of the arrest and investigation, and that Duncan was no longer a district employee.

“When the PSD received information regarding Mrs. Duncan’s alleged conduct in early January, we immediately commenced an internal investigation,” the statement read.

“Because it is still a pending investigation, we are unable to comment further. However, we do want to assure parents that the charges did not involve a student at Cherokee Elementary, and that at no time was any student at Cherokee at risk of harm from Mrs. Duncan.”

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