Picture this: a teacher with a documented history of suspensions and official warnings for questionable interactions with students gets hired anyway, raising serious red flags about school hiring practices and student safety. That's the shocking reality unfolding at Ridgeland High School in Walker County, where parents and educators are left questioning how such decisions are made.
Let's dive into the details to understand what happened. Through a public records request – that's when journalists or citizens ask for official documents from government or school offices to uncover facts – Local 3 News discovered that Nathan Dawson, a science teacher now at Ridgeland High School, was previously suspended from Hamilton County Schools just last year. The suspension stemmed from allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student, a situation that no school district takes lightly because it directly impacts the trust and well-being of young people in the classroom.
Walker County Schools first learned about this Hamilton County suspension back in August of this year, yet Dawson remains in his role, teaching impressionable high schoolers every day. He was brought on board in August 2024, even though the district knew about an earlier issue from 2017. Back then, while working for Whitfield County Schools, Dawson received a formal written reprimand from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for making 'inappropriate comments' to a student. For beginners unfamiliar with these commissions, they're state bodies that oversee teacher ethics and licensing, ensuring educators meet high professional standards.
Fast forward to February 2024: Dawson faced a three-day suspension from Central High School in Hamilton County. A letter from Superintendent Justin Robertson pointed out that during a human resources investigation into yet another claim of an inappropriate relationship, Dawson had not been fully honest – he allegedly hid or twisted key facts. The district couldn't conclusively prove the relationship happened, which might leave some wondering about the gray areas in these cases, but they did slam his 'unprofessional conduct' throughout the probe. It's a reminder that even without solid proof of wrongdoing, misleading investigators can erode trust in the education system.
But here's where it gets controversial: going back to that 2017 reprimand, it all started with reports that Dawson sent inappropriate text messages to a student. The investigation revealed he fired off a whopping 61 messages in under 50 minutes to her in September 2016 – that's an intense barrage that would make anyone uneasy. The very next day, the student confided in a school counselor that the whole thing left her feeling deeply uncomfortable, highlighting how such actions can affect a young person's sense of security at school.
Interestingly, when investigators checked Dawson's phone, those texts weren't there, but they did find them on the student's device. Crucially, the content itself wasn't deemed inappropriate, which adds a layer of complexity – was it the volume and frequency that crossed the line, or something else? Dawson had been with Whitfield County Schools from August 4, 2014, until he resigned on May 31, 2017, and this reprimand was issued on July 13, 2017, well after he left. Despite knowing about it, Walker County Superintendent Damon Raines explained in an email that they still considered Dawson qualified for the job last year.
And this is the part most people miss: Walker County wasn't even aware of the Hamilton County suspension until this year, when a concerned parent reached out directly to the district about the ongoing investigation there. It's a wake-up call about how background checks might not catch everything without proactive tips from the community.
To be clear, none of the allegations in Dawson's file have led to criminal charges, which is important context – these are professional matters handled internally by schools rather than courts. That said, he does have one unrelated legal issue: a driving under the influence charge in Hamilton County from July 2025, with his next court appearance scheduled for October 23. As of October 16, 2025, Dawson is still actively teaching at Ridgeland High School, and according to Superintendent Raines, the school hasn't received a single complaint about him during his first year on the job.
This story sparks so many debates about accountability in education. Should schools hire teachers with these kinds of red flags in their past, or is a second chance always worth the risk to student safety? What do you think – does the lack of definitive proof excuse the unprofessional behavior, or should Walker County reconsider Dawson's position? Drop your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you've seen similar issues in your local schools and how they were handled.
