WAYNESBORO, Ga. – Parents and graduates of Georgia’s Burke County High School are stunned after three of the school’s top teachers were arrested over the last year for a variety of alleged crimes.

It started in May 2014, when English teacher Ashley Ashe, 26, was charged with sexually assaulting a student. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years at Pulaski State Prison, as well as eight years of probation, The Augusta Chronicle reports.

Police arrested Debra Tanksley, the 2013 Burke County Teacher of the Year, eight days later for allegedly sending inappropriate sexual text messages to a student. Tanksley didn’t show up for her arraignment and is on the lam.

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Then there’s assistant football coach and social studies teacher Eric Luke, who stands accused of stealing a golf cart from the school. School officials fired Ashe and Tanksley for their transgressions.

They put Luke on temporary administrative leave while his criminal case proceeds, according to WRDW.

“I’m still in shock,” 2014 Burke County High School graduate Shaneka Tolbert told the Chronicle. “When I was at Burke County, three of the best teachers I had were Mrs. Ashe, Mrs. Tanksley and Mr. Luke.”

Burke County sheriff’s Sgt. Dedric Smith, a 1995 Burke County High School grad, said the teacher arrests are troublesome, but he still believes the school system is a good one overall.

“I’ve been at the sheriff’s department 15 years and have never seen three incidents involving schoolteachers in such a short period of time. It’s very unfortunate, but at the same time, I’m proud of the necessary steps the high school took to ensure the safety of its students,” he said.

“It’s a great school system. Individuals make mistakes, just like employees do in every profession, but that shouldn’t reflect on the entire school. I would definitely feel comfortable sending my kid to Burke County High School.”

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District superintendent Rudy Falana issued an emailed statement to the Chronicle Tuesday stressing the school’s use of pre-employment background checks, and attempting to quell parental concerns about the high school.

“We believe the quality of our personnel is the most important factor in providing a quality education for the students of our community,” Falana said. “When an employee behaves unethically, we immediately take appropriate action, which, when warranted, includes being reprimanded, suspended or terminated.

“Parents, please rest assured that the Burke County Public School System is and will continue to be a caring and safe learning environment.”

Not everyone, however, is convinced.

“I’ve lost too much trust,” Tolbert told the Chronicle.

Others who commented on the Chronicle site also believe school officials should do more to prevent criminal activity by its employees in the future.

“It is a shame that perverts will pose as teachers to satisfy their perverted ways, geecheeriverman posted. “When the leaders of our country and the leaders of our school system have to morals, this is the result you get. God help us!”

“Seems these types of people are everywhere, but when they raise their ugly heads in schools and daycare centers close to our children something BIG needs to happen to stop them!” SimpleGirl posted.