The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has taken former Tift County High School Principal Chad Stone into custody, charging him with six felonies related to his tenure as principal. The charges include one count of theft by taking and five counts of unauthorized use of a financial transaction card, as reported by the Tift County Sheriff’s Office. Stone was arrested and booked into the Tift County Jail on Wednesday.
These charges stem from a thorough GBI investigation initiated after a state commission discovered violations of professional standards by Stone. Following the commission’s findings, Stone formally resigned from his position as TCHS principal last week. He had been under suspension since January, prompted by the state commission’s ruling that he had breached standards related to the misuse of public funds and property, remunerative conduct, and unethical professional behavior.
This isn’t the first time Stone’s actions have come under scrutiny. The Tift County Board of Education had previously placed him on administrative leave for five days in September, during which Stone publicly acknowledged unspecified “ethical lapses” and pledged to repay any restitution owed to the school system. It’s a remarkable fall from grace for Stone, who was honored as Georgia’s Principal of the Year in 2023.
Former Tift Co. principal arrested and charged (walb.com)
GBI Arrests Tift County Principal in Theft Investigation | Georgia Bureau of Investigation
I do believe we need more information (and keep in mind I do not know Dr. Stone), but how could such a beloved educator fall so far? Did he actually do these things or is this simply a “witch hunt” by someone that has it out for him?