Edward Heath Williamson, 33, of 10 Johnia Court, plead guilty April 30 of a sexual act between a teacher and a student and will serve three months in Davidson County Jail as part of his sentence. Thomasville Police Department arrested Williamson in January after a THS school resource officer received notification that he was engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old female, who also was one of his students.
An investigation alleged that Williamson and the student had two separate sexual encounters on Dec. 16 and Jan. 15 while on school grounds. Williamson turned himself into TPD on Jan. 22.
Williamson, THS’ Instructional Technological Facilitator and assistant varsity football coach, was fired from his job, Thomasville City Schools Superintendent Keith Tobin said. Having a sexual relationship with a student by a teacher is a Class-G felony.
“He was terminated by our board,” Tobin said. “We have zero tolerance when it comes to that. When you start talking about an inappropriate relationship between a student and a teacher, or any adult, it’s not acceptable. We will not tolerate that whatsoever.”
In addition to jail time, Williamson also must serve 36 months of supervised probation, including one year of intensive probation. According to Kathy Haynes, a superior clerk at the Davidson County Clerk of Courts office, intensive probation includes several strict requirements that Williamson will have to follow. Williamson will have to register as a sex offender for the next 30 years and cannot have contact with the female victim.
“[Williamson] will be monitored very closely,” said Haynes. “They have a lot of things they have to do through probation.”
Should he fail to meet his probation requirements, Haynes said Williamson will have to serve 13 to 16 months in jail as part of his active sentence.
“It’s a sacred bond between a child and an adult, a student and a teacher,” said Tobin. “In our system, that’s the way I see it and that’s the way our board sees it. We will not tolerate any inappropriate relationships between a student and an adult. When you break that trust that you have to have between a student and a teacher it’s unacceptable. I’m sure that’s the way all school systems feel. It’s something that we will not let go on in our school system.”
Since the female victim was at least 16 years old, no statutory charges were filed.
Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.
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