K‑12 Education and School Safety

Jackson County, West Virginia teacher Emily Joy Wise, 38, was arrested Jan. 14 by the West Virginia State Police and charged with sexual abuse of a child under 16, according to jail records cited by local media. Jackson County Schools said it immediately suspended her under West Virginia law requiring removal of any employee under investigation for conduct that could jeopardize student health, safety or welfare, and has since terminated her employment. The district said it has notified the West Virginia Department of Education’s licensure agency about the arrest and fulfilled all other mandatory reporting obligations, a step that could affect her teaching license. Authorities have not released details of the alleged abuse, but Wise is being held at South Central Regional Jail on $250,000 bail while the case proceeds. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about vetting and oversight of school personnel amid a steady stream of local cases nationally involving educators accused of sexual misconduct with minors.