Joseph Dalton, a former Blount County Schools PE teacher, was sentenced to six months of probation after pleading guilty to inappropriately touching multiple elementary school students. He worked at various schools over the years and was arrested in January 2024, pleading guilty to five counts of assault in September 2024.

Complaints about Dalton’s behavior, including touching, tickling, and hugging students, dated back to 2005 but did not lead to charges until security footage emerged in 2024. He was suspended and resigned in September 2023 after a parent’s report prompted a police investigation.