Former Blount County teacher 'offensively touched' students at Walland, Friendsville Elementary

An elementary school teacher with Blount County Schools has admitted to “offensively touching” five students at Walland and Friendsville Elementary Schools.

Joseph Michael Dalton, 49, Maryville, was arrested in January after investigators with the Blount County District Attorney General’s Office filed charges against him.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of offensive touching — an assault charge — before Blount County General Sessions Judge Robert Headrick Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 4. A sentencing hearing will likely be scheduled for October.

He was arrested Jan. 5, although affidavits for his arrest are dated as far back as September of 2023.

Statements

A Blount County Schools representative said Dalton has resigned and never returned to the classroom after he was charged.

“Student safety is a top priority for Blount County Schools,” school staff wrote in a statement. “Our district works in collaboration with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Children’s Services and the State Department of Education. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students, staff and families by investigating matters swiftly and taking appropriate action according to board policy and state law.”

School staff declined to comment on whether they informed parents of the criminal proceedings.

Reports

Police reports filed by investigators last year relied heavily on surveillance footage of interactions between Dalton and five students ranging from 9-12 years old.

One report, dated Sept. 25, says security footage from Walland Elementary shows Dalton putting his arm around a female student and “pulling her intimately close to his person” and placing his face “directly against her face for an extended period of time.”

Investigators said Dalton then appeared to kiss or attempt to kiss the top of the student’s forehead. According to the report, the student “then appeared repulsed and violently threw his hand off of her shoulder quickly.”

Another report, this time filed by Blount County Sheriff’s deputies Oct. 13, said footage showed Dalton approaching a 10-year-old girl at Friendsville Elementary before he “scooped her down to the ground.” The child then followed Dalton to his office, where deputies said he appeared to give her a piece of candy.

On Sept. 25, investigators said footage showed Dalton touching a 12-year-old girl’s underarms in a “tickling manner” before touching her chest. Four days later, deputies said the girl told them Dalton occasionally got too close to her. According to the report, the student told law enforcement multiple times that Dalton is her favorite person and that he “just makes her uncomfortable” sometimes.

Dalton’s Tennessee educator license, which was active as of Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 4, has a 420 Physical Education K-12 endorsement. It has never been revoked. Some of the police reports refer to him as “coach.”

Investigators’ reports mention four referrals to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

The Daily Times’ Shanon Adame, Mathaus Schwarzen and Rebecca Raney contributed to this report.