Teacher, Assistant Principal Charged Following Investigation into Paddling Incident

JACKSON COUNTY – An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and other agencies into a paddling incident at a Jackson County school has resulted in the indictment of a teacher and assistant principal.

At the request of 15^th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson, on October 10th, TBI special agents joined the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Children’s Services in investigating a complaint of an assault of a student in a Jackson County elementary school. The investigation revealed that on October 4^th, a student at Dodson Branch Elementary School was paddled twice at the school by his teacher, Jackson Patterson, while the assistant principal, Tena Lynn, was also present. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that the victim later complained about pain in his buttocks and was taken to a medical facility for examination.

On November 7^th, the Jackson County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Jackson Alexander Patterson (DOB 04/13/1984) with one count of Simple Assault, and Tena Janeice Lynn (DOB 10/01/1969) with one count of Criminal Responsibility (of Assault). Patterson and Lynn were arrested Tuesday and booked at the Jackson County Jail. Patterson’s bond was set at $2,500. Lynn’s bond was set at $1,500.