Wanted teacher left resignation letter
By PATRICK COURREGES
Acadiana bureau
LAFAYETTE -- A Lafayette Parish school system official said Wednesday that Charni Dodson, a Lafayette Middle School teacher, left a letter of
resignation with her boss before dropping out of sight.
Lafayette Parish sheriff's deputies are seeking Dodson, 58, of Breaux Bridge for arrest on two counts of false imprisonment, two counts of
cruelty to a juvenile and one count of obstruction of justice.
Dodson was a science teacher at Lafayette Middle. During her tenure, she drew attention to the school by obtaining grant funding for
student-involved coastal restoration projects and the construction of a miniwetland at the school.
Information released by the Sheriff's Office states the charges stem from incidents that occurred in the past two years involving a 12-year-old
boy who was not one of her students. Investigators have found evidence that Dodson had allegedly committed the crimes over the course of two
years in several different locations in Lafayette Parish.
Deputies obtained a warrant for Dodson's arrest on Nov. 18, but have been unable to find her.
Ramona Bernard, human resources director for the Lafayette Parish school system, said Wednesday that Dodson left a letter of resignation on
the desk of Lafayette Middle Principal Rick Poulan.
Bernard said she's been told that that at least one of the incidents being investigated involves Dodson allegedly having chained the 12-year-old
boy to a desk on the campus of Lafayette Middle School after regular school hours.
Bernard said that Dodson's resignation means the school system and board have no action to take in regard to Dodson in the matter, though
the charges, if proven, could mean that Dodson would lose her teaching certificate.
"I want to see if that's factual," Lafayette School Superintendent James Easton said Wednesday.
Court records show Dodson had been booked into the Lafayette Parish jail earlier this month -- booked on Nov. 9 and back out on Nov. 10 -- on
a charge of contempt of court.
No available record links that action with the incidents leading to the outstanding warrants. The Sheriff's Office has released that the local branch
of the state Office of Child Protective Services contacted deputies for help with the case on Nov. 9.
Dodson is described as a white woman, 5 feet 7 inches inches tall, 133 pounds, and might be driving a burgundy and tan Chevrolet Suburban
with an Oklahoma license plate.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at (337) 232-9211 or the Crime Stoppers line at (337)
232-8477.
http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/112405/sub_teacher001.shtml
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Guv'mint
Skoolin'
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