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Franks makes bond; 1st court appearance Monday
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Published: February 27, 2010
CONCORD -- - Central Cabarrus High School Assistant Principal Aaronson Franks has been released after making his $60,000 bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance tomorrow, according to Cabarrus County jail officials. Franks was arrested on Thursday on charges of sexual contact with two female students.
Students and staff at Central Cabarrus started their day on Friday as they normally do, but there were additional counseling staff members at the school, said Ronnye Boone, public relations director for the school system.
"Certainly there are students and staff members who are concerned, but it has not interfered with the normal operations for the school," Boone said.
Franks, 37, who has been an assistant principal for the school and employed by the system since August 2005, was charged with 11 counts of sexual misconduct. He was suspended last week with pay, the school system said.
His annual salary is $58,890, and the requirement by North Carolina Public School law is to keep an employee on paid status while they are under investigation, Boone said.
Franks' alleged misconduct occurred with a current 15-year-old student and a former student on school property, said Concord Police Chief Merl Hamilton on Thursday. Hamilton said he did not know of any previous charges for Franks.
When he was a prospective employee for the school system, Franks was subjected to a criminal background check by an outside firm, Boone said. The background check shows information about convictions.
"His background check came back clear, so he was eventually hired by Cabarrus County Schools," Boone said.
Before coming to Central Cabarrus, Franks was employed by Gaston County Schools as the assistant principal at W.C. Friday Middle School in Dallas, N.C. He was hired there in February 2005, and left in August 2005, according to Gaston County Schools.
Franks had worked for Broward County Public Schools from August 1997, to June 2002 as a teacher at Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston, Fla. His reason for leaving was listed as relocation, the school system said.
He was also previously employed as a middle school vocational education teacher and a coach for Frederick County Public Schools in Winchester, Va. He started in September 1994, and resigned in June 1997, as he planned to move to another area, the school system said.
Both Broward County and Frederick County school systems said they were not aware of any charges or allegations against Franks during his employment with them.
During Franks' suspension with Cabarrus County Schools, the system is required to do an internal investigation within a 90-day period, Boone said.
Unless the superintendent and employee jointly agree to extend the period, the school system must then decide to demote, dismiss or reinstate the employee, Boone said.
"This case is unfortunately not the first time it's happened in Cabarrus County Schools, but for the times it has happened, we've moved quickly to remove the adult who is accused or charged from the school environment," Boone said.
She said there have been staff members who have had relationships with students and was not aware of any administrators having such relationships.
• Contact reporter Jessica Groover: 704-789-9152
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