Hamilton County School Board Studies Current Rules for Reporting Abuse, Harassment and Assault

Three Ooltewah High school coaches are awaiting Grand Jury action on charges that they did not notify authorities quickly after a student baskerball player was brutally attacked by three teammates in Gatlinburg during Christmas week.
Ooltewah athletic director Jesse Nayadley, basketball coach Andre Montgomery, and assistant coach Karl Williams appeared before a juvenile court judge last Monday.
Testimony indicated that some rules for reporting abuse, hazing and sexual assault may not be clear enough to staff, students and even parents.
The Hamilton county school board is moving ahead with possible revisions.
Board member Dr. Greg Martin is the chair of that committee.

SCOTT BENNETT, SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY “Dr. Martin’s policy committee is taking the point on this..is to see if our policies make sense to employees…do they understand them? How are they breathed into faculty handbooks? How are they breathed into student handbook? And that’s where the student advisory committee comes into play. We want to make the policy relevant to students.”

The student was attacked with a pool cue. He underwent colon and bladder surgery.
The three basketball players are facing charges of aggravated rape and aggravated assault in Gatlinburg.