DOUGLAS COUNTY - A former school administrator facing two battery charges is no longer working at Whittell High School and most likely will not return to the dean of students position he was hired this summer, according to Douglas County School District Human Resources Director Rich Alexander.
"At this point, Mr. (Richard) Darrington has not been able to meet some of the obligations necessary to be in his position," Alexander said Monday.
Darrington, 37, was hired this summer to replace Whittell administrator Dan Wold, who transferred to Carson Valley Middle School for the fall. Darrington said the Douglas County School District was aware of two battery charges, a felony and a misdemeanor, leveled against him in Blue Ridge, Ga., where he operated a private school for teens called Darrington Academy for five years.
In May, Darrington was arrested by Fannin County sheriff's investigators for allegedly slamming a 17-year-old student on the floor, causing a tooth to fall out, and pushing a 16-year-old juvenile into a wall. He paid $6,000 bail and was released from jail.
Darrington said he's confident he'll be exonerated if the case ever makes it to a courtroom. Appalachian Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Jodi Spiegel said the charges against Darrington are still pending and will probably be presented to a grand jury in November.
"We're waiting to see what happens," Darrington said, "what's coming back from state and hoping things get resolved in Georgia quickly so we can move forward. We still don't know what will happen. It's all up in the air."
Darrington said if the state reissues his license, it may be up to the school board whether he returns to Whittell. He said he's provided the state with information surrounding the charges against him.Ъ