The U.S. Department of Education is investigating three Georgia school systems over whether they let employees accused of sexual misconduct quietly move into new jobs instead of being investigated, a practice known as passing the trash.
The three districts under review are DeKalb County, Richmond County, and Savannah-Chatham County, according to a federal list obtained and published by ProPublica and KQED. They are part of 20 school systems being investigated nationwide.
What Triggered the Investigations
The department opened the reviews based on data districts reported for the 2023-24 school year, which suggested some may not be properly handling staff accused of sexual misconduct with students. Each year, schools report figures to the federal government on civil rights issues, and among the questions is how many employees were accused of rape or sexual assault and then reassigned before final discipline or termination. The 2023-24 data has not been made public.
In a letter to schools this month, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon described what she called a troubling and recurring pattern of credible abuse reports going uninvestigated. "Sexual predators who operate within the walls of American schools depend on institutional silence and complacency," the letter begins. "Such silence is not only a moral failure but also violates federal law designed to protect our most defenseless class of citizens — our children."
The department said the investigations, run through its Office for Civil Rights, will determine whether the districts handled the allegations in line with federal law, and it reminded schools that they are obligated to protect students, prevent pass the trash practices, report data accurately, and conduct meaningful investigations.
What the Districts Say
All three Georgia districts pushed back on any suggestion of wrongdoing and stressed that opening a review is not the same as a finding against them.
DeKalb County follows the law on allegations of student abuse, interim Superintendent Norman Sauce said in a statement, noting that the Office for Civil Rights itself says an investigation is not evidence of a violation. "What our students, families, staff, and community should know is this: Student safety is not negotiable," the statement read. "Protecting every student entrusted to our care is our highest responsibility." He added that because student and personnel matters are confidential, the district cannot comment on specific allegations.
Richmond County Superintendent Malinda Cobb struck a similar note in a letter to families. "While we understand this news may raise questions, I want to reassure you that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority," she wrote. "Every student deserves to learn in a safe and secure environment, and every family deserves confidence that their child is cared for while at school." She said the district is one of 20 nationwide to receive a letter tied to the 2023-24 data collection and would cooperate fully.
Savannah-Chatham County said it maintains procedures meant to keep students safe, including removing staff from student-facing positions when there are allegations of misconduct, and that it intends to fully cooperate with the review.
For parents in these three districts, the distinction matters. An investigation is not a verdict, and all three systems say they report and act on allegations as the law requires. What the federal review will actually test is whether the numbers those districts submitted match how they handled the cases behind them. Until the 2023-24 data is released, families are left with the districts' assurances and the knowledge that federal investigators did not choose these 20 systems at random.
Sources
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Feds investigating 3 Ga. school systems for handling of sexual misconduct cases
ProPublica: The Trump Administration's Teacher Sexual Misconduct Crackdown
U.S. Department of Education: National K-12 initiative to protect students from adult sexual predators
