Tennessee teacher arrested, accused of sex crimes involving teen

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Tennessee schoolteacher is accused of sex crimes involving a teen.

Jasmine Edmond, 24, was arrested Monday. She is charged with sexual battery by an authority figure.

Edmond, who is a teacher at Power Center Academy High School in Memphis, began working at the school in August 2018, according to a letter sent to parents. She taught several different math classes.

The alleged incident happened in November 2017, prior to Edmond’s employment with PCA High. She was employed by Shelby County Schools at the time, according to the letter, which was written by PCA High Principal Antonio Ryan.

Ryan said the school completed a background check on Edmond, but it didn’t show anything about the alleged crime.

Edmond is accused of engaging in sexual contact with someone between the ages of 13 and 17. At the time of the unlawful sexual contact, she "had supervisory power over (the victim) by virtue of her occupational status and used the power to accomplish sexual contact," according to the indictment.

Edmond was released from jail on bond.

WHBQ reached out to both Gestalt Community Schools – which operates PCA High – and Shelby County Schools for comment.

SCS confirmed Edmond was placed on administrative leave on March 27, 2018, to conduct an investigation into the allegations. She did not return to the district.

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Below is the statement given by SCS officials regarding her arrest:

"Following the reported allegations, the employee was placed on administrative leave on March 27 so that the District and law enforcement could conduct a thorough investigation. This is standard District procedure. The employee did not return to the school for the remainder of the year and is no longer employed by the District."

Gestalt Community Schools also responded with the following statement:

"We were shocked and disappointed when Jasmine Edmond was arrested. She was a new teacher at Power Center Academy, and we performed a thorough background check last summer, which showed no indication of such behavior. She is currently on administrative leave from Gestalt Community Schools pending further investigation. Although we have no knowledge at this time that her behavior impacted any of our scholars, we are doing our own internal due diligence. We will fully assist the Memphis Police Department with their investigation."

Read more here.

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