Mother of victim speaks out against former Blount County teacher's sentencing
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — People gathered outside the Blount County Courthouse on Friday to protest with signs, expressing their anger with the outcome of the Joseph Dalton's sentencing.
The former teacher pleaded guilty to five counts of misdemeanor assault by physical contact and was sentenced to six months of probation, with judicial diversion, allowing the charges to be wiped clean once the probation is completed.
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Corie Lockett is the mother of a child who she says was victimized by Dalton. She felt it was important to attend this rally.
'Keep pushing. If something has happened to your kid, you don't have to stay silent; you can talk about it,' said Lockett.
Following the incident, Lockett initially transferred her daughter to a different school but realized that a new environment didn't solve the bigger issue. She shared that her daughter didn't fully understand what happened or that anything was wrong.
'There's never a reason for a teacher to restrain you, there's never a reason for them to touch you the way that he touched you. And just letting her know that everything isn't a game. Sometimes, whenever people are acting like they are pretending or playing, that it's not,' Lockett added.
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The mother wasn't alone in speaking out; other parents and community members stood beside her, voicing their frustration and demanding change.
'Injustice. I feel like the sentence didn't match the crime. I felt really sad for the victims, and that they must've felt like they did not matter. I feel like it should be on the National Sex Offender Registry. It is very important that Joseph Dalton does not end up at another school with more victims,' shared Danielle Kaylor, a protest organizer.
Lockett said the experience has shown her how important it is for parents to stay alert and talk with their children even when it gets hard.
'People can speak out and protest and do this and do that, but at the end of the day, nothing's going to change if they don't rewrite the laws, if they don't hold the harsher punishment, if they don't start with accountability,' said Lockett.
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The Blount County Mayor released a statement earlier this afternoon saying, 'I am doing everything in my power to make sure this never happens to another student in our school system. I am first a parent and grandparent, and I am furious.' Blount County District Attorney General Ryan Desmond declined to comment at this time.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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