Former Brainerd High Educational Assistant Faces Child Sex Charges

Nashville authorities arrest a former Hamilton County school system employee on outstanding child sex charges.

Ronald Boykin faces four charges locally, including two counts of rape, sexual battery by an authority figure, and attempted sexual battery by an authority figure.

Officials say accusations against the former Brainerd High educational assistant were lodged over the summer of 2005.  Boykin resigned two-months later. 

Charges weren't placed until March of 2006 and failed to show up during a background check by the Metro-Nashville school system, which hired him two years ago.  Because the warrants were outstanding, they didn't show up on a background check.  They only came to light because Boykin was stopped by police for a traffic violation on Interstate 24.

Now, local school officials want to make sure the same thing doesn't happen here.  "We have contacted TBI to see if perhaps they would release some more information or see if it shows up now or not to see if there is anyway to see if this information shows up in some form that maybe we're not aware of," says Danielle Clark of the Hamilton County School System.

Clark says teaching candidates are heavily vetted and undergo three background checks locally.  "We take this pretty seriously, and that's why we do the 3 checks and check references and things of that nature, but again, we're relying on those law enforcement agencies, the TBI and FBI to find these types of things and let us know if the people do have a criminal background."

Boykin will be in court here Friday.  He also faces five similar charges in Nashville.