Nashville school administrators are accused of punishing teachers at Glencliff High School who reported suspicions of a teacher sexually assaulting a student, according to the latest findings of an ongoing USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee investigation.

A source at Glencliff High School said the teachers were punished in March, the same month school Executive Principal Clint Wilson warned staff against spreading “negative talk, gossip and rumors.”

Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said there is an open investigation within Metro Schools where "youth services detectives are presently looking into a case involving reporting and are in consultation with the district attorney’s office."

Former Nashville prosecutor Chad Butler also confirmed there is an investigation into “at least one recent incident where educators at a Metro Nashville Public School were suspended by their school administrators for reporting a suspected incident of sexual assault of a student by a fellow educator.”

But Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk said his office is not aware of the issue at Glencliff.

"Child Abuse Team Leader Tammy Meade reports that this office has not received any reports of administrators at Glencliff High school punishing teachers for reporting a suspected incident of sexual assault of a student by a teacher," Funk said in a statement emailed Friday by a spokeswoman.

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Butler resigned from the prosecutor’s office in August after Funk publicly disputed his comments about problems with sex abuse reporting in schools. But in an exclusive interview in October, Butler said punishing teachers for reporting abuse is indicative of a broader issue: a “frequent, chronic problem” of educators not appropriately or immediately reporting known or suspected abuse.

Local child abuse experts told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee they knew of educators delaying reporting information to law enforcement or children’s services. They said it is particularly problematic, noting when educators conduct their own investigations they are violating the law.

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Metro Schools officials and Funk deny any widespread issues of educators not reporting abuse. On Friday, Funk said there are no charges pending pertaining to delays in reporting, and did not directly answer a question about whether his office has ever investigated issues with delays in reporting abuse.

"Delays in reporting can impact investigations. Each case rises and falls on its own facts, therefore quantifying the impact of delay is impossible," Funk said.

Experts, including Metro police, say delays in reporting can pose safety risks to children or hamstring criminal investigations.

Metro Schools acknowledged some principals “misinterpreted” the district’s previous abuse policy, which was updated to be more specific about reporting requirements after an August USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee investigation.

In at least one case, allegations go beyond misunderstanding policy.

'Disruption of school culture'

In March, Metro Nashville Public Schools said it placed a Glencliff High School educator on administrative leave because of abuse allegations. Aaron said Thursday the criminal investigation has been "suspended pending further victim cooperation with prosecution assistance."

But school administrators also punished the teachers who reported allegations to authorities, according to a Glencliff staff member and additional information obtained by The Tennessean.

“Their reasoning (for punishing the teachers) was for disruption of school culture,” said the staff member, who requested anonymity for fear of professional reprisals.

The staff member said Wilson read a statement during a faculty meeting the same month the educator was placed on leave.

“When we make or spread false or incomplete information we are contributing to a negative school culture that hurts our co-workers, students and our community. I ask that you refrain from these types of talk and focus on truths and building up our school and community,” reads the statement, obtained by The Tennessean.

“Failure to comply with this request could result in discipline actions. If you do have firsthand knowledge of any event or situation, please report it to either school administration or to MNPD.”

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Wilson’s statement directly contradicts state law, which requires every adult in Tennessee who knows of or suspects abuse to report that information to law enforcement or the state Department of Children’s Services.

Metro Nashville Schools public information officer Michelle Michaud confirmed Wilson sent an email in March to all school faculty with the same comments. She said it was sent in relation to "addressing climate and culture issues being dealt with by the whole GHS school team."

Funk said there is no reference to "firsthand knowledge" in state reporting laws but did not directly answer a question as to whether delays in reporting are illegal.

"The email from a Glencliff principal inaccurately instructs teachers on this point. According to MNPS, this error has been corrected. No criminal charges are being pursued against the author for this email," Funk said.

'That is still a failure to comply'

Butler, a child sex abuse prosecutor with the Nashville District Attorney’s Office since 2013, declined to provide specific details about any case, saying he did not want to “jeopardize an open investigation.” But he said before he left his job he made Funk aware of multiple cases in which he felt schools failed to comply with reporting laws.

“A majority of the cases I detailed to Funk during our meeting involved schools who had delayed reporting until after they had been caught failing to report. There were examples given to Funk where parents or DCS would find out about the abuse, confront school officials about their knowledge of the events and their failure to report it, and only then would the school officials report it,” Butler said.

“That is still a failure to comply with the reporting laws.”

He compared educators reporting abuse only after they were approached by police or DCS to stealing a sweater, then trying to pay for it after getting caught.

“Just because you try to mitigate your actions once you’re caught doesn’t negate the fact you committed the crime. The crime was completed,” Butler said.

Funk said Butler's statement about making the office aware of multiple recent issues with schools failing to report problems is inaccurate.

'No evidence of a systemic practice'

The findings come weeks after Butler said there is an “epidemic” of educators not following reporting laws, a comment corroborated by Stephen Crump, a district attorney in East Tennessee.

Metro Nashville Public Schools initially denied the allegation, and the comments prompted a letter from Funk denying Butler’s assessment.

"We have no evidence to establish that MNPS is advising staff to not comply with reporting responsibilities,” Funk said in the letter.

"After an internal review, I have found no evidence of a systemic practice of hiding child abuse in schools," the letter also states.

Butler said he stands by his comments, questioning Funk’s understanding of reporting laws and his commitment to prosecuting abuse.

Metro Schools Executive Officer of Student Services Tony Majors, who said principals had misinterpreted reporting policy in the past, said Thursday his comments were not in reference to Glencliff or any specific school. He said there are no current investigations looking at the ramifications of those misinterpretations.

"Community superintendents and (executive directors of school support and improvement) will address any violations of child abuse reporting procedures directly with the staff member or administrator who violates the policy, once we are aware that a violation has occurred,” Majors said in a statement.

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A Department of Children’s Services spokesman previously said in the “rare instance” DCS learns someone did not report something they should have, those cases are referred to the district attorney’s office.

Corey Harkey, an attorney for Metro Schools, said the school district is not aware of any cases in which a school employee was criminally charged with a failure to report abuse.

In August, Metro Nashville educators told the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee they were given misleading information about who to contact first if they suspect abuse. One teacher said MNPS never provided specific details about how to file a report with DCS.

Metro police spokesman Aaron said last week there was a recent meeting involving MNPS, the district attorney’s office and the police to discuss "expectations and protocols when allegations of child physical or sexual abuse arise."

"It is our understanding that agreed upon protocols will be shared with MNPS personnel so that all are clear on the most expedient way to handle these cases so that law enforcement/DCS becomes involved very early," Aaron said.

Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@tennessean.com or 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.