Teacher advocacy group official out amid report about child porn
A top official in one of Georgia’s largest teacher advocacy groups resigned as allegations involving child porn were reported in a local newspaper.
The Times Free Press reported that Jim Barrett, head of the Walker County Association of Educators in northwest Georgia, was arrested Friday in connection with an iPad and "child erotica." The newspaper reported that Barrett loaned the device to a student, who discovered the material in its online search history and showed her parents. They told school officials who contacted authorities.
Neither Barrett nor the Walker County sheriff could be reached for comment.
In addition to his local role, Barrett was vice president of the Georgia Association of Educators, the state’s second largest teacher advocacy group. The board of directors held an emergency meeting Friday evening “to address the recent arrest and charges” against him.
The group then issued this statement from President Charlotte booker: "the GAE Board of Directors has demanded and accepted Mr. Barrett's resignation as vice president of the association and he is immediately relieved of all related duties to that office."
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
