A former counselor at Clinton High School has been charged amid a grade-changing scandal that previously saw two teachers terminated. Carrie Jones Jenkins, who served as a guidance counselor before resigning, now faces two counts of destruction or tampering with government records. Jenkins' charges were reported to stem from two incidents during the 2022 and 2023 school years where she is accused of unethically modifying student grades. As detailed in an arrest warrant, one alteration involved changing a failing grade to a "D", and another from "48" to "90," as reported by WATE News.
The ongoing investigation initiated last year has already led to the firing of two teachers. According to a WVLT News report, nearly 1,500 grades were implicated in the original allegations. The fallout has extended beyond the teachers, affecting several school staff members, including the principal and the athletic director, who either resigned or were dismissed in the aftermath. In Jenkins' defense, her attorney stated, "Mrs. Jenkins is an upstanding and dedicated community member of Clinton. She has lived here her entire life and has invested more than 20 years in the school system. She is a loving mother, supportive wife and friend and proud to call Clinton her home. We absolutely refute the alleged charges against Mrs. Jenkins and look forward to clearing her name."
Another former teacher, Clay Turpin, is also implicated in the scandal and faces 24 charges related to grade manipulation. The accusations against Turpin and Jenkins are part of a larger narrative that has brought considerable disruption to the school's administration and faculty. This series of events also saw principal Daniel Jenkins resign; although the details surrounding his resignation have not been disclosed, it follows the timeline of the ongoing controversy.
In response to the unfolding scandal, Anderson County Schools reportedly launched an investigation to thoroughly assess the extent of the grade manipulation. While the school system has not publicly revealed the findings, the series of resignations and subsequent charges suggest the investigation's serious impact on the school's integrity. "We welcome transparency through this process as more details emerge," said Jenkins' attorney in a statement obtained by WATE News.
