FROM STAFF REPORTS
A West Iredell High School teacher is charged with sending a sexually explicit video of herself and a nude image of herself to a student.
Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of April Dawn Viney, 44, of Garrison Drive, Statesville, in a news release Wednesday.
Viney, who has taught English at West Iredell High since 2019, has been suspended with pay since Iredell-Statesville Schools was notified of the investigation, district officials said in a news release
The ICSO began investigating on September 22 after receiving a report that a teacher at West Iredell High had sent an inappropriate video and image to a student, Campbell said.
The investigation was assigned to Special Victims Unit Detective Elliott Lane, who conducted numerous witness interviews, processed cellular telephones, and executed search warrants for the suspect’s social media accounts.
The victim is a former West Iredell High student who had been enrolled in Viney’s class as an underclassman. The student was enrolled as an online high school student at the time of incident.
Based on all the evidence gathered through the investigation, Detective Lane obtained felony warrants for Viney’s arrest.
On Tuesday, October 4, Viney was arrested and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center, where she was charged with two counts of Felony Dissemination of Obscenity.
Viney appeared before Magistrate Chambers, who issued a $50,000 secured bond on these charges.
Viney previously worked for I-SS from 2002-2007, when she was an English teacher at South Iredell High and Lake Norman High.
What is wrong with Dr. Jeff James and the rest of the I-SS school system that they cannot properly vet teachers? This is the second case just in recent months and one of many troubling stories regarding the safety of the Iredell County students. We need accountability from all I-SS administration and school board members. No excuses! As Dr. James repeatedly points out, his background is in industry. He should know full well this would not be tolerated in any well-run business today. Let’s get some corrective actions NOW.
Sharon Norris: Please explain to everyone how you properly vet someone for this? I’m sure your knowledge and expertise would be very helpful. Standing by …
PROPER background checks.
What does a background check do if you have no criminal record? You’re the reason boomers shouldn’t have internet access.
To live in a utopian world would be a dream. We do not. To judge and accuse Dr James as well as hold a single person accountable for the vetting of all employees of Iredell School systems is laughable. Jeff James, in my opinion, is a person who responds. His main concern is the children of this county and to be fiscally responsible. He does not shirk his responsibilities and blame others. He will look you in the eye and you will instantly understand his position and know he is listening. There is a human resource department that will gladly take one’s application if one feels like they can walk in his shoes and do the job.
I wish it were that easy. Background checks are only good if you have committed an offense. Even Federal background checks fail. You really can’t do a background check on morals. The blame is solely on this teacher. It is impossible to tell who is a predator and who is not.
Ok tell me how a PROPER background check would have revealed the potential for the teacher to do this? I could have a clean check and decide to commit a crime tomorrow. Your argument doesn’t hold water.
Are you saying I-SS doesn’t complete a proper background check, Sharon? If this is what you are suggesting then perhaps you can share your evidence with Iredell Free News.
Background checks are done on every employee from every state they have ever lived in. Sometimes there is nothing to be found in the past.
We use a national screening service that uses far more than a typical company would ever use. The teacher in question was hired the second time in 2019 — prior to my hiring. To say catching people doing inappropriate things shows a lack of leadership would be the same as saying our great sheriff is doing a poor job because of all the drug busts. Your logic is simply illogical. We began ONWATCH mandatory sex trafficking and abuse training for all employees last year. We are the poster child for this. Our employees are better equipped to spot inappropriate behavior. And we have a special task force with the sheriff and more tools to catch potential abusers. So your comments are defamatory; I ask you to correct them. I-SS will simply not tolerate this behavior and has ramped up our ability to identify these people with all law enforcement. Hence, NC this year has had 130 cases of inappropriate relationships that have resulted in termination. Thirty of these were female. Two were in Iredell County. That is two too many, but it is not beyond the norm. Both of the individuals will lose their teaching license and, if they are convicted, will be placed on a sexual predator list. No sure what else you expect from the superintendent or the board. I do expect you to correct your defamatory post. Thank you!
Good people can go astray. I’ve hired and worked with enough people to know you can ask all the right questions and talk to references, but human nature is we sin and people change. Have you ever had a friend that no longer was a friend because their actions and attitude changed?
I like the part about “Boomers” and internet access. I feel the same way lots of times, and I am a “Boomer.”
With all due respect, I did not mean to be defamatory toward any group or individual. If you are offended, that is on you. It seems that your ONWATCH trading is not as effective as it could be. I do not care when a hiring date occurs; it is still the responsibility of the I-SS school system to keep all students safe all the time. Most teachers are great and do an outstanding job in a difficult and often thankless profession. Many of my teachers had a great influence on me; sadly not all were in that category, but I fondly remember those who were. We have many people today worried about the contents of books and making it a mission to ban said books that may or may not be read. If we are concerned regarding books, let’s be equally concerned about screening teachers with ongoing reviews. As it has been pointed out, people change but it is still the responsibility of the I-SS school system to keep up to date on current employees.
Again, dear, unless there has been criminal activity anywhere in the COUNTRY, a background check won’t show anything. It’s not a predictor! As to “keeping students safe”, this teacher was removed from the classroom and arrested. As for “keeping up to date on current employees” – what does that mean exactly? and how do you propose it be accomplished? Just curious….