Jackson Co coach arrested in Banks Co

A high school coach and teacher's aide is accused of having sexual contact with a student.

The Banks County Sheriff’s Office arrested Michael Lee Stanley, 29, last week.

Investigators said the sexual contact involved an East Jackson High School student.

Stanley was the assistant basketball coach at the school.

In a statement she sent Channel 2 Action News, the superintendent of schools said she was deeply disturbed when she first heard about the situation. As for Stanley, he's now off the job.

Deputies charged Stanley with four counts of improper sexual contact by an employee of a school.

“He was really calm and he didn’t give me any weird feelings or anything. He seemed like a nice coach,” Logan Beck said.

“It’s scary to have a girl at the school and you trust the coaches with your children," parent Aimee Beck said. “The coaches are young sometimes and they’re in there with kids who are not much younger than they are, and I think that they have to keep in mind that that is a fine line to cross with a child.”

The superintendent released the following statement that reads in part:

“In December 2019 district leaders were made aware of potential unprofessional conduct involving a student. Law enforcement was contacted immediately and the case was turned over at that point. Mr. Stanley has not been employed with Jackson County Schools since December 2019. The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority."

Logan Beck agrees and believes both the school district and the Sheriff’s Office took the right steps.

“It’s bad if it happens to one student, but it’s even worse if it happens to others,” Logan Beck said.

Stanley has been released on a $20,000 bond.

Deputies said they are still conducting interviews and that the investigation is still ongoing.