Deputies: Guidance counselor arrested, failed to report sexual assault in Spartanburg Co.

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A middle school guidance counselor is accused of failing to report the sexual assault of a student in Spartanburg County.

According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, a student reported to a school resource officer at Daniel Morgan Applied Technology Center on February 7 that they had been sexually assaulted by another juvenile while in elementary school.

The student said that they reported the sexual assault to a guidance counselor at at Clifdale Middle School, Joy Allen, on two separate occasions.

Despite this, deputies said that Allen failed to report the matter to the Department of Social Services or law enforcement, despite being required to by law.

The student told investigators that Allen said that too much time had passed to take action, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies said that Allen confirmed in an interview that she did not report the incident and that she believed that she had not violated the law. The sheriff’s office said Allen’s training records show that she had mandated reporter training multiple times throughout her career.

Investigators said that the victim was seen at the Children’s Advocacy Center where they confirmed the sexual assault and reiterated that Allen had been informed.

Allen, 61, turned herself in to the Spartanburg County Detention Center on a charge of failure to report child abuse/neglect. She has since been released.

Spartanburg School District Three said that Allen was placed on administrative leave effective at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

(This story has been updated to reflect the correct school name is Clifdale Middle School.)

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