Clayton schools trying to fire teacher after kindergarten students involved in sexual activity

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A mother stormed out of a hearing where a school system is trying to fire a teacher for not noticing kindergarten students involved in sexual activity in class.
 
Clayton County Schools is trying to terminate James Jackson Elementary teacher Deirdre Knight. The school system says she neglected her duties when she failed to see several students in her class involved in inappropriate conduct.
 
During the hearing the mother of one of the students involved became angry and grabbed her 6-year-old daughter and stormed out of the hearing as her child was testifying.
 
"Don't even worry about it. Come on. We good. Because ya'll talking (stuff) ya'll didn't tell me about," the mother said.
 
We are not identifying parents and students involved in this incident because of the sensitive nature of the subject.
 
Before that, the district's attorney explained to a panel of former educators why the district wants to end Knight's employment.
 
"This is one of the more disturbing cases I've been involved in," Winston Denmark said during his opening statement.
 
The school system says Knight failed to notice as many as 5- and 6-year-old students engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct in the back corner of the classroom in March.
 
"They were situated in a portion of the classroom where they couldn't be seen," Denmark explained.
 
A student later told a paraprofessional and that's how the misconduct was uncovered.
 
One of students was in tears as she testified about her role in the incident.
 
"Have you guys touched each other?" Denmark asked the child.
 
"Yes," she said as she began sobbing.
 
When Knight's attorney asked the child about inappropriate sexual contact during the after school program, the child's mother stormed out, saying no one told her about that incident
 
After that, Knight's attorney said she wasn't in the classroom during the incident.
 
Sharese Shields said her client doesn't deserve to lose her job. Shields said Knight reported it immediately.
 
She got Cindy Brackett, the school's assistant principal, to admit teachers can't see everything. 
 
"A teacher can't see what's going on behind them for example. You would agree with that? She asked.  Yes ma'am," Brackett responded.
 
Brackett later said supervision of students is a top priority and teachers must have visual contact of their students.
 
The hearing will resume June 9 and that's where Knight is expected to give her version of what happened.

WSBTV