WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- An elementary school principal in West Valley City has resigned after he was accused of viewing pornography while on school property.
Chad Christman was the principal at Gearld Wright Elementary School until his resignation on March 15, and now he is facing criminal charges.
Christman is accused of accessing a pornographic website on a smart phone while in school on February 20. The phone was issued to him by the Granite School District.
Ben Horsley, Granite School District spokesperson, said they received information that led to placing Christman on administrative leave. He did not divulge specifics regarding that information. Horsley said they believe this to be an isolated incident.
"The evidence that we've been able to collect as a result of both the administrative and law enforcement investigation did not conclude that any students, or any member of the community or any faculty at Wright Elementary, were involved in any way,” Horsley said. “This happens to be a personal choice."
The school district’s investigation ended when Christman resigned, but the former principal still faces a misdemeanor charge for accessing pornographic material on school property. Christman worked in the district for 11 years, and during that time Horsley said Christman was an "exemplary employee."
A substitute principal has been in place at the school since Christman left, and Horsley said they hope to fill the position permanently by April.
