By FRED GUARINO
The Lowndes Signal

A Lowndes County Middle School teacher turned himself in at the Lowndes County Jail on March 9 on a sexual related charge and has since bonded out, said jail authorities with information on the matter.

Lowndes County Jail Correctional Officer Deandre Butler said that Charles Simmons, 30, of Montgomery turned himself in to the jail and has since bonded out on what Butler said was a “misdemeanor charge of school employee sexual.”

Butler said the bond was set at $6,000.

Lowndes County School Superintendent Dr. Daniel Boyd said Simmons, a seventh and eighth grade math teacher at Lowndes Middle School in Fort Deposit, turned himself in after he (Simmons) became aware of an investigation that allegedly involved him.

Boyd said a female student, who was not named since she is a juvenile, alleged Simmons used inappropriate behavior toward her on the school’s grounds. Boyd did not know the actual charges but also said it was a misdemeanor.

He said the school board is required by law to do background checks on teachers and that “there was nothing in his (Simmons) background to preclude him from being a teacher.”

Boyd said he is conducting an investigation into the matter, but that it is not complete.

Sheriff John Williams said he did not have information on the case and calls made to the Fort Deposit Police Department were not immediately returned.