Fired MCSD teacher arrested for alleged sexual assault of student. School disclosed.

A fired Muscogee County School District teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting a student, according to Columbus police.

Antonio Damonte Rainey, 31, was arrested Wednesday by the Special Victims Unit of the Columbus Police Department, the police said in a news release. He was charged with sexual assault by persons with supervisory or disciplinary authority.

Muscogee County School District communications director Mercedes Parham told the Ledger-Enquirer via email Thursday, “He was not teaching at the time of his arrest. He was released from duties from Spencer High School as of October 10.”

He was a first-year science teacher, Parham said.

Rainey’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday at 2 pm. in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Parham said in a news release, “The Muscogee County School District has received notification regarding a recent arrest of a teacher who was accused of sexual misconduct with a student. The allegations were presented to the District on October 7, 2018. Following an internal investigation, the teacher was recommended for termination and released from duty, effective October 10, 2018. The case remains under investigation with the Columbus Police Department.”

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272, @MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published November 1, 2018 at 10:46 AM.