Jenkins High School teacher being held on no bond following arrest on sexual assault, child molestation charges

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A Chatham County high school teacher is behind bars following her arrest Friday.

Savannah Police say an investigation revealed she had been having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Paulina Walden, 35, was arrested an hour after school dismissal on Friday. She worked heavily with the theatre program at the high school and worked at multiple schools prior to Jenkins High.

Investigation and arrest

Savannah Police arrested the English teacher on Friday, but the tip came in about her a week prior. The tip was that Walden was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.

A week later, she was placed in handcuffs and taken to jail on charges of sexual assault by a facility employee, along with child molestation.

School district response

The school district says Walden is an English teacher at Jenkins High, and she has worked at the school district since late 2023.

They also confirmed Monday, she teaches mythology along with oral speaking.

“She remains an employee of the district at this time as the case has not yet been adjudicated. Since she is not actively on the job, she would need to use any accrued leave time or personal days in order to be paid. If she returns to work, she will remain reassigned to a location where she will have no interaction with students,” according to the school district.

She has no criminal record in Chatham County.

According to the district, when administrators became aware of the allegations, Walden was reassigned to a non-school location with no student contact for a week.

Because the alleged contact happened off campus, the Savannah Police handle the case.

The school district issued a statement following her arrest saying in part, “The district takes any accusation of inappropriate conduct by an employee very seriously. The matter will be reported to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.”

Teaching background

Although it has been reported to Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission, her certification status is still active until 2029. Her certification does not show she is under investigation or has any ethical status complications.

Through her social media, we know she has worked with Jenkins’ theatre department in multiple plays and productions. She has been the yearbook advisor and a head coach at one point for the dance and flag team.

She has worked for at least four schools in the area, typically teaching elementary school, but also as a teaching assistant. Those schools include Garrison School of Visual and Performing Arts, Shuman Elementary, Savannah Country Day for three years, and East Broad K-8.

Walden is still behind bars on no bond. We reached out to her husband, who’s also a teacher, and he stated he had no comment.