A Winston-Salem/Forsyth Public Schools substitute teacher has been charged in connection with an alleged assault on a female student.

Desmond Emmanuel Williams, age 36, was charged with assaulting a female student by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office following information received by a school resource officer at Mount Tabor High School.

Williams apparently confirmed the incident to deputies and he has been banned from the school property by Donald Wyatt, the school’s principal.

Wiliams signed a written promise note to appear in court on Nov. 27.

The student’s parents have indicated they want to press criminal charges.

Wyatt issued the following statement to families of Mount Tabor High School:

I apologize for this early Friday call, but this is Principal Donald Wyatt and I have something I want you to hear from me first.

Yesterday, some of our students reported to school administrators that a substitute teacher allegedly displayed some aggressive and inappropriate actions toward a student. The substitute is not an employee of WS/FCS, but of ESS Education Staffing and Management Solutions, the company that hires and places substitutes for WS/FCS.

Upon being made aware of the allegations, an investigation was immediately started and is ongoing. WS/FCS has instructed ESS to remove the substitute from working in any of our schools. We understand that the substitute may face criminal charges and we especially want to thank our law enforcement partners for immediately investigating the allegations.

Per the district, Williams is an employee of ESS Education Staffing and Management Solutions and not an employee of the district.

There is no teaching license for Williams on file with the state.

Williams is the 55th North Carolina education employee arrest tracked by this website during the calendar year 2023.