UPDATE: A newly unsealed indictment for Kenya White, a former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher facing several child sex crimes charges, says he coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity and the production of child porn.
The indictment says the federal charges stem from incidents between Feb. 13 to 15 of 2023, when White was a teacher at East Lake Academy.
A video sent to Local 3 News by a concerned parent captured the emotional gathering in the school's gymnasium, where hundreds of parents sought clarity on the school's potential charter revocation. However, many left feeling the meeting was more of a formality than a forum for transparency.
White was arrested exactly two years later, on Feb. 13, 2025, on the following charges while he was a teacher at Chatt Prep:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
Indictment documents say in Feb. of 2023, White drove a child across state lines to "persuade, induce, entice, and coerce" a minor in sexual activity: the production of child porn, exploitation, especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means.
Two days later, White was informed by Hamilton County Schools that he was suspended without pay regarding a Dept. of Children's Services investigation.
Documents from the hiring process of Kenya White at Chatt Prep show he did not tell the school why he was previously removed as a teacher from East Lake Academy.
Chatt Prep was not set up through DCS to provide background checks, but they knew there was a disciplinary hold on White's file. He continued to work as a teacher at Chatt Prep until his arrest, two years after the incident.
White was also unlicensed during his time teaching at Chatt Prep, as were nearly half of the school's staff, says Hamilton County Schools.
In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17.
Chatt Prep has since hired new leadership at the school.
In July of 2024 he was indicted on charges of domestic assault, aggravated assault, child abuse and neglect, and evading arrest.
PREVIOUS STORY: A judge has set the federal trial date for Kenya White, the former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher who faces several charges.
White was first arrested on various child sex crimes charges in February, stemming from a two-year Dept. of Children's Services investigation.
White was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. The trial is set to begin on May 19.
Internal emails at Chatt Prep show the school knew White was under DCS investigation at the time they hired him.
Hamilton Co. Schools soon after found that White was one of several teachers unlicensed at the charter school.
In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools says "a new era began" on Tuesday, March 25, as the school announced new leadership at Prep Public Schools.
Troy Kemp has been named Chief Executive Officer and Chad Everett as Vice President of Schools.
"Both Kemp and Everett have passed all necessary background checks without issue," says Austin Cantrell in a release from the school.
The scrutiny of Chatt Prep began in February when an unlicenced teacher, Kenya White, was arrested on various charges of child sex crimes.
Hamilton County Schools began investigating other teachers at the school and found almost half of the teachers were unlicensed as well. They recommended the charter be revoked.
Kemp comes to Chatt Prep with 27 years of experience at the McCallie School, as well as Director of Strategic Initiatives at Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta.
“I am thrilled to lead the efforts of Prep Public Schools because this is an opportunity to rewrite the narrative, increase the expectations, and improve the outcomes for Black and brown boys in Chattanooga and Knoxville,” said Troy Kemp, incoming CEO of PREP Public Schools. “Challenges in the past may have pushed us back on our heels, but we are shifting our stance and playing from our toes.”
Everett currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of IOTA Community Schools, a charter network serving 2,100 students.
“I am excited for the opportunity to cultivate the environment I wanted as a scholar and that every scholar deserves – an environment where every scholar has the freedom to discover curricular truths, as well as truths about themselves; an environment where excellence is the expectation and the brilliance of scholars and teachers is embraced bell-to-bell, every class, every day,” said Chad Everett, VP of Schools of PREP Public Schools.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools is set to introduce the school's new leadership after an unlicensed teacher's arrest led Hamilton Co. Schools to recommend the school's charter be revoked.
Hamilton Co. Schools says they found almost half of the teachers at Chatt Prep were not licensed.
The investigation began when an unlicensed teacher under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation was hired at the school in 2024.
Former Chatt Prep teacher, Kenya White, was arrested in February on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor.
PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools says they are currently verifying senior credits to ensure Chattanooga Preparatory School's senior class will graduate on time.
HCS released the following statement:
"Our top priority is supporting the students at Chattanooga Prep and safeguarding their academic progress. We are currently verifying senior credits and taking any necessary corrective actions to ensure that the Senior Class will graduate on-time. We are hopeful that all 50 seniors will graduate on time, but more collaboration is needed before we can state this definitively.
Hamilton County Schools and Chattanooga Prep continue to work together to address the recent concerns regarding teacher licensure and ensure compliance with state requirements. Through our collaborative efforts, we have identified a few of Chatt Prep's 50 teachers are not eligible for a teaching license, permit, or waiver. We are actively taking steps to secure the appropriate certifications, waivers, or permits for the remaining teachers to ensure all instructional staff meet state guidelines.
As we move forward, we are committed to strengthening procedures for verifying teacher eligibility to prevent future issues. Through ongoing collaboration and accountability, we are confident in our ability to resolve this matter so that Chattanooga Prep can continue providing a high-quality education to its scholars for years to come."
Hamilton County Schools recommended for Chatt Prep's charter to be revoked after finding almost half of teachers were not licensed.
The investigation began when an unlicensed teacher under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation was hired at the school in 2024.
Former Chatt Prep teacher, Kenya White, was arrested in February on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was then arrested again in March on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor.
PREVIOUS STORY: The latest TCAP scores for the 2023-24 school year show Chattanooga Preparatory Schools is below the state average in every subject. Hamilton County Schools is recommending the school's charter to be revoked after learning that 21 of 45 teachers at the school were unlicensed.
The achievement rate at Chatt prep is 26.1%, while the state average is 39.6%.
Biology I
- State average: 45.2%
- Chatt Prep average: 29.5%
ELA
- State average: 33.1%
- Chatt Prep average: 21.5%
HS English
- State average: 42.8%
- Chatt Prep average: 35.8%
HS Math
- State average: 28.5%
- Chatt Prep average: 13.8%
Math
- State average: 37.6%
- Chatt Prep average: 28.1%
Science
- State average: 43.9%
- Chatt Prep average: 29.7%
Social Studies
- State average: 45.5%
- Chatt Prep average: 37.8%
PREVIOUS STORY: The Tennessee Charter School Center has released a statement pertaining to Chattanooga Preparatory School students potentially impacted by unlicensed teachers:
“There is no law that would specifically prevent these students from graduating or invalidate their credits based solely on the licensure status of the teacher in the classroom. The state does not issue credits or diplomas and therefore would not be in a position to reject these credits or prevent a student from graduating. Issuing credits is a local issue. Chattanooga Prep makes awards credits and diplomas. We hope Hamilton County will not pursue any action that would negatively impact any student.”
A letter from Hamilton County Schools recommending the revocation of Chattanooga Prep's charter status said that it's "likely" the entire graduating class was not accumulating valid credits after they found 21 of 45 teachers at the school to be unlicensed.
Spring 2025 will be Chatt Prep's first graduating class, and the school says students have accumulated $638,000 in scholarships already.
The investigation into Chatt Prep began when an unlicensed teacher was hired while under DCS investigation, then arrested for several charges of solicitation of a minor. Kenya White was recently arrested a second time for federal charges.
Several leaders at the school have resigned or been put on leave since.
Hamilton County School and Chattanooga Preparatory School say they are both committed to working together to "ensure that Prep meets or exceeds its high standards for hiring personnel."
PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools says 21 of 45 teachers at Chattanooga Preparatory Schools are unlicensed, not having permits or waivers for classes they teach.
This means high school students are not accumulating valid credits towards graduation.
"Likely, Chattanooga Prep's entire senior class is impacted by this licensure issue."
Spring 2025 was expected to be the school's first graduating class. The school posted on facebook that each senior has a post-high school plan, and the class has together secured $638,000 in scholarships.
Hamilton County Schools say they were not aware that almost half of Chatt Prep's teachers were teaching without a license, waiver, or permit "until recently."
In a letter to Chatt Prep, Hamilton Co. Schools says they will recommend the revocation of the school's charter on April 17. The revocation will be effective at the end of the school year.
The letter from Hamilton County Schools states:
"Chattanooga Prep have willfully violated Tennessee laws governing the licensure of teachers. I also believe that the governing body and management have deliberately misrepresented who were the teachers of record in classes actually taught by these unlicensed personnel in order to avoid scrutiny from TDOE."
HCS states in the letter that all teachers in a public charter school must hold a valid Tennessee educator license.
The following teachers listed on the Chatt Prep website either did not have permits or waivers at all, or did not have an active license through the TN Dept. of Education license look-up:
- Ethan Reyes - 12th Grade AP Calculus
- Justin D. Shull - 12th Grade AP Government and Economics
- Brandie Morgan - Exceptional Education Assistant
- Davarius Joseph Harris - Geometry
- Erikka Nichole Benning - Computer Science
- Jaylin Davon Rogers - Physical Education
- Theanthony Demonta Haymon - Behavior Interventionist
- Ivan Andres Lobo - 9th Grade Guided Math
- Joshua Carroll Grossi - 9th Grade Guided Reading
- Khalil Marjon Watts - 8th Grade ELA
- Peyton Anderson Whitley - 7th Grade History
- Cheryl Hines - 7th Grade Math
Kenya White has been removed from the schools website, but was unlicensed at the time of his arrest.
The investigation into Chatt Prep began when an unlicensed teacher was hired while under DCS investigation, then arrested for several charges of solicitation of a minor. White was recently arrested a second time for federal charges.
PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools has started the process to revoke Chattanooga Preparatory Schools charter after an unlicensed teacher was arrested for child sex crimes.
Chatt Prep stated in a letter to families that while they believe it is "Unnecessary," they will work with HCS to find a solution that benefits the district and the school.
Chatt Prep says the primary concern of Hamilton County Schools is teacher licensure.
"Prep has accepted HCS's offer to send HR staff to work alongside our employment attorney—who is currently auditing our HR processes—to review employment practices and recommend any necessary changes."
Chatt Prep said there will be no disruption to school operations for the time being. The school also promised parents that they are committed to addressing concerns while they work closely with HCS.
The school also told parents to attend and share their opinions at the upcoming School Board meeting, contact members of the Hamilton County School Board, and post on social media about how the school has benefited their children.
A former Chatt Prep teacher was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor in February, then arrested a second time on federal charges early March.
Internal emails obtained by Local 3 show that Kenya White was hired at Chatt Prep while he had a disciplinary hold on his file for being under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School says they will have an answer about where they conduct teacher background checks by the end of the week, after hiring a teacher under Dept. of Children's Services investigation for sexual exploitation of a minor.
Chatt Prep's Interim CEO, Micah Bess stated:
"Our third-party legal team, which we have hired to audit our hiring processes (including our use of the DCS portal), believes they will be able to answer this question by this Friday. We will provide you with that answer as soon as it is available."
DCS told Local 3 News that the charter school was not set up in their system to do background checks for any teachers, despite the school saying they were.
It's state law for all public and charter schools to perform background checks for teachers through DCS.
Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher, faces several charges including federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor. He was hired at Chatt Prep while under a DCS investigation that began while he was employed at a city school.
Local 3 reached out to learn if Knox Prep, Chatt Prep's sister school in Knoxville, uses the same hiring process.
Bess told Knoxville NBC affiliate, WBIR, that the Knoxville campus will learn from Chatt Prep's mistakes, but did not specify their background check process:
"All personnel being considered for employment at Knox Prep are required to undergo several levels of background checks to ensure every one of our scholars is safe while learning. Chattanooga Prep is working to hire an outside firm that specializes in HR practices to review the school's past and current processes to ensure the school's process for conducting these checks is performed without exception. Lessons learned from that review will be applied to Knox Prep if necessary. Neither Chattanooga Prep nor Knoxville Prep will allow this situation to distract from our mission to prepare the next generation of young men for success in our communities."
Local 3 has reached out to Chattanooga Preparatory Schools with more questions on staff impacted.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School has declined the former principal's request to be paid severance after quitting during an investigation into a former teacher hired while under Dept. of Children's Services investigation.
Former principal Diamond Kelley's letter of resignation to the school says she had been "hurt."
Kelley also asks for an "exchange" to waive any legal claims against the school:
"I am also offering to waive any legal claims I have against Chattanooga Preparatory School. In exchange, I am requesting:
1. Severance pay in an amount equal to the remainder of my contract.
2. A letter confirming that background checks were the responsibility of HR.
Let me be clear: my reputation is not for sale. My integrity is not up for negotiation. I have carried myself with dignity, and I will not allow my name to be tarnished."
She goes on to say, "Only God knows I did what I was supposed to do. I leave with my head held high, I do not leave in surrender. I stand on my character, my values, and my unwavering commitment to these young men."
Chatt Prep's interim CEO Micah Bess responded to Kelley's resignation email saying, "it seems we must agree to disagree about your record while at Chattanooga Prep."
The email goes on to state:
"I politely decline the opportunity to respond to every aspect of your resignation message, except to say this: you have not been slandered by Chattanooga Prep. Your personnel file, which was requested by several local media outlets due to your involvement in the situation regarding Mr.
White, speaks for itself. Chattanooga Prep was compelled by law to respond to these FOIA requests, and we had no choice but to share your record, along with a great deal of other information legally requested by local media.
I also politely decline your request to be paid a severance. The circumstances surrounding your resignation, do not lend themselves to such an outcome."
Read the full resignation below:
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School Principal Diamond Kelley, originally placed on leave after the arrest of a former teacher, has now resigned.
Kelley was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 18. The letter from Chatt Prep's interim CEO says the leave was while law enforcement continued to "review the Kenya White situation." She then resigned on March 6.
Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher, was first arrested on Feb. 13 on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor, and kidnapping.
On March 7, White was arrested a second time on federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor.
Internal emails from Chatt Prep show the school saw a disciplinary hold on his file while he was under a Dept. of Children's Services investigation, but decided to hire him anyway.
Local 3 also learned that Chatt Prep was not set up to background check teachers through DCS, which is required by law.
PREVIOUS STORY: Kenya White, a former Chattanooga Preparatory Schools teacher, faces federal charges of enticement of a minor and exploitation of a minor after his second arrest on Friday morning.
These are in addition to his previous charges he was indicted on:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
While those charges stem from a Chattanooga police and Dept. of Children Services investigation that began in 2023 while he taught at East Lake Academy, it's not clear what situation led to the recent federal charges.
Documents show White did not tell the school why he was previously removed as a teacher from East Lake Academy.
The Chatt Prep screening says Kenya White told the school he left for his own reasons:
"White reports he was employed with HCDE- East Lake Academy and left in March 2023, due to unhappiness at the school. For six years, he taught Theatre, 6th, 7th, 8th. White was a participant in HCDE's Grow Your Own program and program ended after his voluntary resignation; therefore, no teaching license."
However, White's personnel file at Hamilton County Schools says he was suspended without pay because of a Dept. of Children's Services investigation linked to inappropriate communication with a student:
Chatt Prep was not set up through DCS to provide a background check after their screening. DCS says the school is not set up in their system to provide background checks for any teachers, and Hamilton County Schools say they did not perform a background check on White through their services.
One of the references given to Chatt Prep by an East Lake Academy teacher says his weaknesses were "setting boundaries with the students. Students see him as a big brother, rather than a teacher."
Despite that statement, Chatt Prep stated on White's screening that White has "appropriate communication with parents and students."
Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
PREVIOUS STORY: McCracken Poston, attorney for Kenya White, the former Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher who now faces federal charges after his second arrest, states:
"Our constitution provides that every person is to be considered innocent until they are found guilty by plea or trial.
It’s unfortunate that this matter is now being used as a political issue to attack others, and even the entire concept of charter schools.
My focus must and will remain on ensuring that Mr. White gets the fairness guaranteed to every citizen in our courts."
White was first arrested on several charges in February of 2025:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
Local 3 News has reached out to Chattanooga police to ask if they are still searching for potential victims.
PREVIOUS STORY: The former Chattanooga Preparatory Schools teacher previously arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor is now behind bars again on federal charges.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office says Kenya White was arrested in Rossville, GA and brought into the Hamilton Co. Jail around 1:00am on Friday, March 7, by federal law enforcement officials.
Chatt Prep teacher Kenya White was arrested in February 2025 on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. He is now facing federal charges.
He has now left their facility.
Chattanooga police first arrested White on Feb. 13 after an investigation that began two years prior with the Dept. of Children's Services.
At the time of White's first arrest, police said they were actively investigating if there could be more victims.
Since White's arrest, Local 3 discovered that Chatt Prep hired White knowing he was under a disciplinary hold stemming from the 2-year-long investigation. Internal emails show the school decided to hire him anyway.
On March 5, Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons requested the state to investigate Chattanooga Preparatory School.
On March 6, DCS told Local 3 that the school wasn't set up to background checks in their system, which is law for Charter Schools in Tennessee.
Since White's arrest, Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review, and Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, took an early retirement.
PREVIOUS STORY: A Hamilton County charter school facing scrutiny for hiring a teacher under investigation by the Dept. of Children's Services has given Local 3 News conflicting reports of where they perform background checks for teachers.
Chattanooga Preparatory School's interim CEO, Micah Bess, stated:
"Chattanooga Prep uses the DCS portal to retrieve background checks for all prospective employees as part of our school’s hiring process."
The Department of Children's Services states the opposite:
"Chattanooga Preparatory School is not set up through the TN Dept. of Children’s Services portal to perform DCS background checks. It is the responsibility of each school system to identify a select number of personnel to be granted access to the portal for the purpose of conducting background checks."
Hamilton County Schools tells Local 3 News that the school did not perform a DCS background check through their system either:
"Chattanooga Prep does not obtain background checks through HCS."
Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-413 states that all local boards of education, charter schools, or child care programs are required to perform a DCS background check on any applicants for teaching positions.
Chatt Prep teacher Kenya White was arrested in February of 2025 on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. The DCS investigation began when White was a teacher at East Lake Academy in 2023.
White was suspended from East Lake Academy and put on a disciplinary hold, which showed up in his file during the hiring process at Chatt Prep in 2024.
Internal emails show Chatt Prep knew of the disciplinary hold, but decided to hire him anyway.
Since the arrest, Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review, and Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, took an early retirement.
Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons has officially requested the state to investigate the school.
How was a Chatt Prep teacher hired while under DCS investigation? Local 3's Xavier Harris examines the school's internal emails.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory Schools confirms to Local 3 News that Human Resources Coordinator, Dr. Angelnetta Ulmer, is stepping down earlier than expected.
Ulmer initially planned to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year, but school officials say she chose to accelerate her departure due to several factors including the ongoing situation with Kenya White, a former Chatt Prep teacher indicted on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Internal emails within Chatt Prep reveal the school knew of a disciplinary hold on White but decided to hire him anyway - even though he was under investigation by the Dept. of Children Services.
Tennessee Rep. John Clemmons is urging the state to investigate how White was allowed to teach at Chattanooga Prep despite his documented past.
Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has also been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review after White was arrested.
Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
PREVIOUS STORY: Tennessee Representative John Ray Clemmons has officially requested the state to investigate Chattanooga Preparatory School after the school hired a teacher on a disciplinary hold, who was later arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor.
The letter to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti states:
"One would expect a school, even a charter school that operates with little to no oversight, to make best efforts to protect students by requesting pertinent information from a previous employer and performing a background check."
Rep. Clemmons goes on to say a state investigation into Chatt Prep would "shed much-needed light on how something as seriously disturbing as this could happen."
Read the full letter here:
PREVIOUS STORY: Internal emails show Chattanooga Preparatory School knew about a teacher let go from a different school in Hamilton County because of a Dept. of Children Services investigation before he was hired again at Chatt Prep.
The DCS investigation into Kenya White first started while he was an Education Assistant at East Lake Academy. He put on leave in 2023 pending a law enforcement investigation.
In January of 2024, White was then hired as an 8th grade english teacher at Chattanooga Preparatory School.
Internal emails obtained by Local 3 News show that Chatt Prep saw the disciplinary hold on White, but hired him anyway.
One email sent within the school said, "we cannot hire him while he's under review," and "we will need to terminate Mr. White this week."
Local 3 News is working with DCS to confirm if Chatt Prep requested background checks through DCS for White and current employees.
However, instead of terminating White, an employee at the school replied, "let's discuss this before he is terminated."
The Chatt Prep website listed him as a Guided Reading teacher for the 2024-2025 school year on their website.
Almost exactly one year since those emails were sent, White was arrested on several charges in February of 2025:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review after White was arrested.
Chattanooga police are still looking for potential victims of White during their investigation. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
Questions about the application process for charter schools come after a now former teacher of Chattanooga Preparatory was hired amid an investigation.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Preparatory School principal Diamond Kelley has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal review.
In February, Chatt Prep teacher Kenya White was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means. White's personnel file shows White was suspended from his previous employment in 2023 at East Lake Academy pending a Dept. of Children's Services investigation.
Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-413 states that all local boards of education, charter schools, or child care programs are required to perform a DCS background check on any applicants for teaching positions.
Local 3 News is working with DCS to confirm if Chatt Prep requested background checks through DCS for White and current employees.
Micah Reed Bess, Interim CEO of PREP Public Schools stated:
“The greatest responsibility of every school is to ensure the safety of the children it has the privilege to educate. Chattanooga Prep believes this is one of our most fundamental responsibilities to the community we serve, which is why the school has been taking sweeping actions since learning that one of its former employees was arrested on charges that have nothing to do with Chattanooga Prep.
The extraordinary actions we have taken since learning of Mr. White’s arrest include firing the employee, placing on leave senior school staff, making counseling services available to members of our school community, and hiring an independent employment firm to investigate what internal HR processes require changes to ensure this situation never happens again.
Chattanooga Prep is determined not to allow this situation to distract from our mission to prepare the next generation of young men for success in Chattanooga.”
Kenya White's personnel file from Hamilton County Schools shows he was originally hired as a part-time tutor at East Lake in 2018.
PREVIOUS STORY: Now-former Chattanooga Prep School teacher Kenya White was arraigned in court Friday, Feb. 21 after he was charged with 12 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor and kidnapping.
No testimony or video was shown.
White is due back in court on May 8.
PREVIOUS STORY: A spokesperson for Hamilton County Schools says they did not receive any reference checks on Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested on charges of sexual exploitation.
Dr. Zac Brown, Chief of Talent with Hamilton County Schools, says, "As far as I know, [Hamilton County Schools] did not receive any reference checks on Mr. White.”
A local expert said parents should look for these signs to keep their kids from becoming a victim of sexual misconduct by an educator.
White was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year when the initial investigation began, but was working at Chatt Prep at the time of his arrest.
PREVIOUS STORY: The Chattanooga Preparatory School has confirmed a teacher arrested for sexual exploitation is no longer employed at the school.
Chatt Prep declined to answer multiple requests about Kenya White's employment status since his arrest on Feb. 13.
On Feb. 19, the school said:
"Chattanooga Preparatory School is deeply troubled by the recent arrest of a former employee. The safety and well-being of our scholars remain our top priority, and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.
We are cooperating with law enforcement and conducting a thorough internal review. As this is an open investigation, we cannot provide further comment at this time."
White was arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means, solicitation of a minor, and kidnapping.
While Hamilton County Schools says he was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year when the investigation began, Chatt Prep has not said if they were aware of the investigation when hiring White.
A student of Chatt Prep says he was a teacher at the school since 2023, but the school has not confirmed this.
Kenya White's personnel file from Hamilton County Schools shows he was originally hired as a part-time tutor at East Lake in 2018.
PREVIOUS STORY: Hamilton County Schools confirms to Local 3 News that Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory teacher arrested for sexual exploitation, was employed at East Lake Academy for the 2022-2023 school year.
Chattanooga police say they first responded to East Lake Academy in February 2023 to investigate Kenya White. The school system declined to answer if parents at East Lake were notified of the investigation or if White had a valid teaching license at the time.
Kenya White was arrested on the following charges:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means- 12 counts
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
Police are actively seeking to find if there are more victims. If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
Chattanooga Preparatory School has still declined to answer if White is still employed at the school or not.
PREVIOUS STORY: Tennessee Department of Education records show that Kenya White, the Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor, does not have a teaching license in the state currently.
It is not clear if White's license was suspended or revoked, or if he ever had a valid teaching license in the state.
Chatt Prep has still declined to comment on White's employment status.
The Chattanooga Police Department says they are actively investigating if there could be more victims of White, after he worked as a teacher for two years before the investigation lead to an indictment.
If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga police say the investigation into a Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher arrested for multiple counts of solicitation of a minor began two years ago.
The Chattanooga Police Dept. says they first responded to East Lake Academy in February of 2023, when the Special Victims Unit and Dept. of Children's Services joined the investigation.
Multiple teams worked together to obtain digital forensic evidence to successfully lead to an indictment of Kenya White in February of 2025.
Kenya White was arrested on the following charges:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
The Chattanooga Police Dept. says they are actively investigating if there could be more victims.
If you have any information, call the Chattanooga Police Department at 423-698-2525 or the Department of Children's Services at 877-237-0004.
Chatt Prep has still declined to comment on if White is still an employee at the school at this time.
PREVIOUS STORY: A Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher has been ordered to not have contact with minors after being indicted on 14 counts related to sexual exploitation.
Kenya White's charges all stem from a February 2023 incident. A student at the school tells us White was a teacher at Chatt Prep at the time.
White faces a $10,000 bond for each count. He was indicted on February 10, 2025 on the following charges:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
The sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means indictment indicate White exposed a child younger than 13 years old to sexual material through electronic communication.
The solicitation of a minor charge involved a child younger than 18 years old in sexual activity.
The kidnapping charge does not detail the age of the victim.
The school still declines to comment on if White is still employed.
PREVIOUS STORY: A Chattanooga Preparatory School teacher has been arrested on several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Chattanooga Preparatory School lists Kenya White as a Guided Reading 6th Grade teacher on its website.
While the Hamilton County Courts System doesn't have documents on his arrest yet, the following charges are listed:
- Sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means x12
- Solicitation of a minor
- Kidnapping
Chattanooga Preparatory School posted on Facebook in 2024 that White was recognized as teacher of the month in March.
When asked if White was still employed by the school, Chattanooga Prep responded:
"Chattanooga Prep cannot speak to the facts surrounding the criminal charges. Please refer all questions to the Chattanooga Police Department or the Hamilton County district attorney's office."
When asked a second time if White was still employed by the school, they declined to answer the question again.
