Legal Backlash: Spartanburg Guidance Counselor Sues Sheriff’s Office
On a day where the city of Spartanburg greeted the early morning with spotty showers and a high of 73F, the buzz was less about the weather and more about a controversy involving the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and a former guidance counselor. The usually quiet city has been abuzz following news that Joy Allen, a former guidance counselor at Clifdale Middle School, filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s office for negligence and defamation.
Allen’s Arrest and the Aftermath
Allen’s troubles began on June 26 when she was arrested and charged by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. The former guidance counselor found herself in legal hot water after, according to authorities, failing to report allegations of a sexual assault made by one of her students.
Allen was charged with failing to report child abuse or neglect, a misdemeanor that carries a potential fine of up to $500 or six months in prison. However, the charge against her was quickly dropped – but the damage, according to Allen’s civil attorney, Gedney Howe, had already been done.
Adding insult to injury, the Sheriff’s office released a Facebook post concerning Allen’s case following her arrest. Despite the legal situation being resolved, the post lingered on social media for several weeks – with no correction or update provided.
The Lawsuit and Claims of Negligence and Defamation
In the absence of an apology or retraction from the Sheriff’s office, Allen resorted to the only recourse she felt she had – legal action. “Our lawsuit is really being brought almost just because (the Sheriff’s office) wouldn’t apologize,” explained Howe. “Their failure to correct misleading information has muddied her name.”
Allen’s lawsuit claims that the Sheriff’s office acted negligently and caused significant damage to her reputation by making accusations against her without proper investigation. It further alleges that the fallout from the incident forced Allen to resign from her job due to the resultant stress and negative feedback.
The failure of the Sheriff’s office to apologize or issue a public retraction means that Allen’s name remains associated with allegations that have since been dismissed. Speaking on the matter, Howe stated “What’s really important to Joy is people understanding that what (the Sheriff’s office) said about her is not true.”
History Repeats Itself?
This isn’t the first time the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office has faced backlash for wrongful arrests. Earlier this year, the Sheriff publicly apologized to a man who was incorrectly charged during a drug round-up, admitting the mistake and promising to strive for better accuracy in future operations.
However, it appears the lessons from past mistakes have not been fully learned, and now the focus is once again on the Sheriff’s office in light of the lawsuit filed by Allen. As the city braces itself for a shift in weather, dropping to a low 62F under a late cloudy sky, it also waits to see how this legal storm unravels.
