DADEVILLE, Ala. – A principal and a counselor in the Tallapoosa County school district face multiple criminal charges for allegedly failing to report student on student sexual abuse at a local middle school.

Principal Melanie Fernanda McKinney is charged with two felonies – theft of property and possession of forged instrument – as well as six misdemeanor charges, three for failure to report child abuse and three for obstructing government operations, WFSA television station reports.

Aside from allegedly failing to report child sexual abuse, McKinney is accused of falsifying paperwork to secure free meals for family members at Council Middle School and Dadeville High School.

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Council Middle School counselor Corey Meadows faces four misdemeanor charges for failing to report child abuse, and three misdemeanor counts of obstructing government operations, according to WFSA.

“Dadeville Assistant Police Chief Christopher Martin’s investigation started after allegations of a student on student sex abuse case back in May. During the course of the investigation, authorities say they discovered multiple student victims who were either subjected to sexual assault, harassment, or what is known as the ‘threat of harm’ under the Failure to Report Child Abuse statute of Alabama,” WFSA reports.

“The probe by police also uncovered additional alleged criminal actions by Principal McKinney. She is also accused of falsifying paperwork and getting free meals for family members …,” according to the television station. “The funds that were allegedly stolen came from the Child Nutrition Program and is said to have been between $500 and $2,500.”

McKinney and Meadows turned themselves in to police and currently reside in the county jail awaiting bond. Both employees have been placed on leave from the school district, WFSA reports.

Others in the district are also under investigation, but district and police officials have not released their names because they haven’t yet been charged.

The district’s board of education released a statement about the investigation, asserting that the district’s central office staff had no knowledge of the alleged misdeeds and stressing that the abuse was between students.

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Martin also released a statement highlighting the department’s commitment to investigating school crimes and commending the local board of education for its cooperation with local law enforcement, according to the television station.

“We feel that taxpayers should know where their money is going and if it’s is being stolen through fraudulent means, we will investigate and bring the offenders to justice,” Martin wrote, adding that the abuse and lunch meal fraud investigation is ongoing. “Taxpayers fund our efforts to fight crime and we will hold anyone accountable that misuses taxpayer funds.”

The alleged crimes may seem fairly minor, but their alleged breach of the public’s trust is disturbing considering their positions of authority in the school district. Local taxpayers should be relieved that law enforcement and district officials are taking the situation seriously and are committed to bringing these individuals to justice.

In far too many school districts, administrators have swept such scandals under the rug to save face, which obviously perpetuates a culture of secrecy and isolation from local taxpayers. School officials in Dadeville are pursuing this matter correctly, and students and parents who rely on their local school officials to keep students safe should commend their transparency and desire to weed out corruption.