THOMASVILLE — The ethics division of a state education panel will recommend an investigation of a Thomas County paraprofessional charged with child molestation.

Dr. Gary Walker, director of the Educator Ethics Divsion of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, told the Times-Enterprise his agency will take the matter before the panel next month.

Dawn Snider, 46, 750 E. Pinetree Blvd., is being held without bond on charges of child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes.

Snider is on administrative leave without pay as a special-education paraprofessional at Thomas County Middle School.

Also charged with child molestation is Robert Wayne Reifsnyder, 49, of the same mobile home park address. Reifsnyder also was denied bond.

A Tallahassee (Fla.) Police Department officer contacted a Thomasville police investigator a week ago about 35-mm film submitted for processing at a Tallahassee Wal-Mart.

Processed photos showed a nude female who appeared to be about 10 years old, a Thomas County Sheriff’s Office incident report showed.

Dr. Larry Green, Thomas County Schools superintendent, said Friday that school system personnel filed appropriate documents with the standards commission.

A certified letter from Green to Snider the day she was arrested informed the suspect that if she is convicted, she will be terminated.

Walker said documents submitted by the school system will be processed and turned over to him.

“We will have to take the complaint to the Professional Standards Commission,” Walker said.

The complaint will go before the commission at a Thursday, Sept. 14, meeting in Atlanta.

Walker said about 100 cases went before the panel in July, and he expects an equal number at the September meeting.

The ethics division employs seven police-trained investigators. “One of those investigators will be assigned to the case,” Walker explained.

A written report of the investigator’s findings will be turned over to the commission. Panel members will decide whether to take action.

Walker said action could range from a warning letter to revocation of Snider’s certification.



Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 220.