A Patton High School teacher was arrested on Friday, Aug. 15, and charged with committing a sex act by a substitute parent and incest. Christopher Coolidge Bailey, 47, of 107 N. Matthews St., Morganton, has since been terminated from his employment at Burke County Public Schools.
On July 31, Morganton Public Safety (MPS) officers were dispatched to the residence to investigate an alleged sexual assault. When officers arrived, they spoke with a juvenile victim who stated that she had been sexually assaulted by her adopted father, according to MPS reports.
Investigators conducted several interviews and seized electronic evidence, according to MPS. During the investigation, officers determined that Christopher Bailey was the adoptive father of the victim.
Bailey was charged after investigators conducted an interview with him at MDPS Headquarters. He was taken to the Burke County Jail, where he is being held under a $100,000 bond.
According to officials from Burke County Public Schools, the Morganton Department of Public Safety notified them at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 15, of Bailey’s arrest.
Bailey was suspended without pay that afternoon, and on Monday, Aug. 18, he was recommended to the Burke County Board of Education for termination.
Bailey’s last assignment was at Patton High School. According to his LinkedIn account, he was an exceptional children’s educator.
“Following all due process requirements related to employee rights, within two hours of his arrest, BCPS served Bailey with a formal notice of charges and followed up with a notice of termination,” said BCPS officials. “State law requires that if a district is aware of a violation of criminal law by an educator in this manner, they report the educator to the State Board of Education to determine if a revocation of their teaching license is appropriate.”
“The news of these allegations and charges is both shocking and heartbreaking,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan. “We are working closely with law enforcement and will continue to assist them in any way possible as their investigation moves forward.
“Our No. 1 priority is the safety of our students. To our knowledge, no alleged acts occurred on any Burke County Public Schools campus and the arrest did not occur on school grounds.”
BCPS stated that they conduct thorough background checks on all potential employees prior to hiring. If criminal allegations arise during employment, the district immediately cooperates with law enforcement to ensure a complete and timely investigation, according to school officials.
Sandra Wilkerson Queen is the arts & entertainment editor. She may be reached at 828-445-8595, ext. 2002, or sandra@thepaper.media.