A Cobb school district tribunal upheld the firing of a counselor at Tapp Middle School in West Cobb Tuesday after school officials say she failed to make a timely report of a student's sexual abuse claim.
A student told counselor Yatta Collins in January that she tried to commit suicide after being sexually assaulted by her stepfather. Collins approached the student after she was told of the alleged assault by one of the girl's friends. Collins notified her principal, Jerry Dority, but neither of them immediately notified the state Division of Family and Children Services as is required by law
Collins notified DFCS two days later after the girl was absent from school both days.
Former Tapp principal Dority was fired last week after a tribunal of board members heard the longtime principal's case. The full school board may vote as early as next month on whether to accept the tribunal's recommendations. Educators can appeal the decision to the state Board of Education. They face a separate hearing in front of the Professional Standards Commission to determine action on their teaching credentials.
Both educators also facing criminal charges for their alleged failure to report the girl’s claims.
The girl's mother testified at the hearing that the child went to live with her biological father immediately after the incident, which DFCS investigated and dismissed.
After deliberating for two hours, board members Scott Sweeney, Alison Bartlett and Kathy Angelucci voted to uphold the school district's recommendation to fire Collins.
Collins had worked at Tapp for only a month before the incident. Her attorney, Cerrone G. Coker, argued that student's demeanor -- she was laughing and joking -- gave her client pause in reporting the incident.
She said Collins immediately reported the allegations to her principal and trusted her principal to notify DFCS. However, Nina Gupta, an attorney for the school district noted that counselors are usually the school's first line of defense in reporting such claims to state authorities.
Connie Jackson, president of the Cobb Association of Educators, said cases involving educators' failure to report claims of abuse are rare and the consequences are severe. Her organization represented Collins and believes she shouldn't lose her career for making one mistake.
"It's a shame that an exemplary career and a young woman's life could be damaged for her trusting her principal," said Jackson. "My advice is to always report anything. It's much better that we over report than under report."
Collins' family members and friends came to the hearing to support her Tuesday. During breaks in the proceedings, the educator walked around thanking them for coming. Colleagues from Sprayberry High School and McCleskey Middle School where she previously worked, testified that she was meticulous, detail-oriented and maintained good relations with students and their parents.
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