BANKS COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

INVESTIGATION REPORT

January 24, 2023

John Grant & Dr. Paul Shaw

2601 Orchard Knob Drive, SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: (404) 556-6875
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Dr. Paul Shaw & John Grant

Investigation Report
January 21, 2023

On Tuesday 1/17/23, J. W. Grant was contacted by Banks County Superintendent Dr. Ann
Hopkins. Dr Hopkins advised she had been made aware of allegations of sexual misconduct
between the principal of the Banks County Elementary School, Dr. Dana Simmons, and the
school Physical Education teacher, Dylan Charles. Dr. Hopkins considered herself and members
of her administrative team too familiar with all parties involved to conduct the investigation. Dr.
Hopkins requested J. W. Grant to conduct the investigation. J. W. Grant solicited Dr. Paul Shaw
to assist in the investigation.

Dr. Dana Simmons, Principal of Banks County Elementary School, has been employed by Banks
County BOE in various positions for approximately 20 years. She has served as principal of the
Elementary school for the past two years and is currently in her third year. Dr. Hopkins considers
Dr. Simmons a capable principal and has no prior discipline issues.

Dylan Charles, Physical Education teacher at Banks County Elementary School, has been
employed at the school for approximately seven years. Dr. Hopkins advised Mr. Charles has
received satisfactory evaluations and has no discipline issues.

Initial Information:
Dr. Hopkins provided a statement and was interviewed to provide details of the conversation
with Dr. Simmons. Dr. Simmons expressed to Dr. Hopkins that she was concerned Dylan Charles
had bugged her office or had a source at the BOE office providing him information regarding
BOE activities. Dr. Hopkins initiated a meeting including the Director of Operations, Mr. Mike
Cleveland, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Ms. Joy Edwards, and Dr. Simmons and Mr.
Charles.

The issue of Mr. Charles having access to information he was not entitled to receive was
resolved. Mr. Charles asked to speak with the administrators without Dr. Simmons present. Mr.
Charles informed the administrators he had been involved in an extramarital affair with Dr.
Simmons for several years. He stated the sexual encounters associated with the affair had taken
place at the Elementary School and off campus. Mr. Charles provided Dr. Hopkins a picture on
his cell phone showing Dr. Simmons kissed him on the cheek. Mr. Charles then provided a
second picture of him and Dr. Simmons kissing, mouth to mouth. Dr. Hopkins took the phone
and passed it to the Mr. Cleveland and Ms. Edwards. Subsequently, Dr. Simmons was called
back into a meeting with Dr. Hopkins and Ms. Edwards. Dr. Simmons denied any sexual contact
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with Mr. Charles. Dr. Simmons admitted to having an “inappropriate friendship” with Mr.
Charles. Dr. Simmons did not elaborate on what constituted the “inappropriate friendship’.

Dr. Paul Shaw and J. W. Grant used a meeting room on the 2nd floor of the BOE office to
conduct interviews of following witnesses:

1. Dr. Ann Hopkins, Superintendent of Schools - provided a written statement

2. Mr. Mike Cleveland, Director of Operations - recorded statement
3. Ms. Joy Edwards, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction - recorded statement
4. Mr. Dylan Charles, Physical Education Teacher, Banks County Elementary School -
provided a written statement
5. Dr. Leigh Ann Perry, Assistant Principal, Banks County Elementary School - recorded
statement
6. Dr. Dana Simmons, Principal, Banks County Elementary School - interview only
7. Ms. Trisha Gilmer, Attendance Clerk, Banks County Elementary School - interview only
8. Mrs. Kelsey Charles, 3rd Grade Teacher, Banks County Elementary School - interview
only
9. Candida Sanders, Previously employed as a Paraprofessional, Banks County Elementary
School - interview only

Dr. Hopkins, Ms. Edwards, and Mr. Cleveland were interviewed:

● The administrators all agreed they were surprised by the allegations made by Mr.
Chambers.
● The allegations were totally unexpected and inconsistent with previous interaction with
Dr. Simmons.
● The administrators agreed the picture Mr. Charles provided was difficult to explain.

Mr. Dylan Charles was interviewed:

● Mr. Charles was reluctantly cooperative. Mr. Charles advised he had consulted with an
attorney and was advised he was as culpable as Dr. Simmons using school system
facilities inappropriately.
● Mr. Charles admitted he and Dr. Simmons routinely used the school to meet and engage
in sexual activities. Mr. Charles stated he was having trouble transferring pictures from
his cell phone to J. W. Grant’s cell phone. Mr. Charles agreed to step outside the building
where two pictures were transferred.
● One picture was the picture shown to the administrative team of him and Dr. Simmons
kissing, mouth to mouth. The second picture was a naked man and woman in a vehicle
engaging in sexual intercourse. The faces are not clear, but Mr. Charles identified the
picture as him and Dr. Simmons.
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● Mr. Charles contacted J. W. Grant several more times asserting he wanted to be

cooperative. Mr. Charles provided text messages (with context) that appeared to be
between his wife, Kelsey Charles, and Dr. Simmons.
● Additionally, Mr. Charles provided two pictures. The first picture is of a naked woman
standing in a room. The room was identified as the bathroom adjacent to Dr. Simmons’s
office at Banks County Elementary School. The second picture is a woman identified as
Dr. Simmons performing fellatio on a male in a vehicle.
● Mr. Charles also provided a video of a man and a woman having sexual intercourse in a
vehicle. The video appears to be a continuation of the still photo supplied earlier. Again,
there is no context added to the pictures or the text messages, but the totality of the
evidence tends to support Mr. Charles's claim of an inappropriate relationship between
Dr. Simmons and Mr. Charles.

Dr. Leigh Ann Perry was interviewed:

● Dr. Perry advised she knew nothing about a relationship between Dr. Simmons and Mr.
Charles until two days ago when Dr. Simmons informed her. Dr. Perry stated Dr.
Simmons related to her she had an “inappropriate friendship” with Mr. Charles.

Dr. Dana Simmons was interviewed:

● Dr. Simmons entered the interview room crying.
● Dr. Simmons provided two screenshots of texts she stated came from Kelsey Charles.
One screen shot is of Dylan Charles without a shirt and wearing some type of cape. Dr.
Simmons advised the screenshot was sent to her by Kelsey.
● The second screenshot was a vent from Kelsey Charles disparaging Candida Canup (now
Sanders), a parapro, for doing a poor job. Dr. Simmons suspected Mr. Charles was
involved in a relationship with Canup. Dr. Simmons did not document, investigate, or
report her suspicions.
● Shortly after the interview started Dr. Simmons admitted she was involved in a sexual
relationship with Mr. Charles. She stated Kelsey Charles set up the sexual liaisons with
her husband. Dr. Simmons also stated Kelsey Charles watched as she and her husband
had sexual relations.
● Dr. Simmons denied having sexual relations at the school.
● Dr. Simmons provided the names of several women she believed Mr. Charles was
involved with now, or previously involved with.
● Dr. Simmons was very remorseful, but offered no explanation other than she made a
terrible mistake.

Trisha Gilmer was interviewed:

● Ms. Gilmer advised she was a confidant of Dr. Simmons.
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● Ms. Gilmer was aware of the relationship between Dr. Simmons and Mr. Charles and that
the relationship had progressed to a sexual relationship.
● Ms. Gilmer and Dr. Simmons discussed the relationship between Dr. Simmons and Mr.
Charles. Ms. Gilmer considered Mr. Charles a playboy and told Dr. Simmons to get a
new friend.
● Ms. Gilmer believed it was obvious Mr. Charles was involved in a relationship with
Candida (Canup) Sanders.
● Ms. Gilmer stated she saw a text from Kelsey Charles to Dr. Simmons asking Dr.
Simmons “Would you like to fuck my husband?”
● Ms. Gilmer stated she saw Dr. Simmons crying about the relationship on several
occasions. Dr. Simmons told her Mr. Charles informed her the relationship would never
be over.
● Ms. Gilmer contends that Mr. Charles received more favors than punishment from Dr.
Simmons.
● Ms. Gilmer categorized Dylan and Kelsey as a calculating couple.

Kelsey Charles was interviewed:

● Ms. Charles entered the interview room crying.
● Ms. Charles stated she suspected for some time there was a relationship between her
husband and Dr. Simmons.
● Ms. Charles stated in October/22 Dr. Simmons spoke with her about problems Dr.
Simmons was having with Dylan Charles. At this meeting Dr. Simmons made promises
to her about helping them with their careers.
● Ms. Charles believes Dr. Simmons was manipulating both her and her husband. Dr.
Simmons was constantly contacting her and pressured her to allow her to have sex with
her husband.
● Ms. Charles admitted she was aware of the sexual relationship Dr. Simmons had with
Dylan and she watched them have sexual relations and recorded/videoed sexual
encounters.
● Ms. Charles was shown the two pictures and identified both pictures as being Dr.
Simmons and Dylan Charles.
● Ms. Charles stated she did not feel she had anyone to go to and report what was
happening. She lived with the situation for two and a half years.

Ms. Candida (Canup) Sanders was interviewed:

● Ms. Sanders advised she would hang out with the Charles when she was employed by the
system and going through a divorce.
● Ms. Sanders stated Dr. Simmons approached her about joining a group of swingers. She
ignored the request and avoided Dr. Simmons after the request.
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● Ms. Sanders stated nothing outside the norn happened while she was associated with
Kelsey and Dylan Charles.
● Ms. Sanders said she quit working for the system because the principal was
unprofessional and she needed more money.
● Ms. Sanders stated Dr. Simmons told her she was on her phone too much. Ms. Sanders
would then see Dr. Simmons walking down the hall and almost run into people because
she was texting or talking on the phone.
● Investigator's note: Ms Sanders did not seem surprised to be asked to come to the BOE
and be interviewed. She did not ask any questions and was not concerned.

Conclusions:
● There is conclusive evidence of a sexual relationship between Dr. Simmons and Mr.
Charles. Pictures, Video, Admissions by both parties, Verification by Kelsey Charles.
● There is evidence sexual activity occurred at Banks County Elementary School.
Admission by Dylan Charles, One picture taken in the bathroom adjacent to principal’s
office inside the school.