AP: Virginia teacher kept on the job after conviction on child sex charge

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A counselor for Virginia’s largest public school system kept his job for more than a year and a half after his arrest on charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Virginia has processes in place to prevent sex offenders from working in K-12 schools, but it’s unclear at which point in the process there was a breakdown. Darren Thornton, 50, was arrested in an undercover chat operation in Chesterfield in November 2020.

At the time, he was employed by Fairfax County Public Schools as a school counselor.

Governor Glenn Youngkin told ABC affiliate WRIC that the mistake was a failure on Fairfax County’s part in failing to keep students safe.

(IMAGE: Bristol Broadcasting Co News Archive)