Incident and investigation in question occurred Nov. 4 at Stewarts Creek Elementary
Rutherford Co. Schools Stewarts Creek Elementary remains overcrowded
Rutherford County Schools Stewarts Creek Elementary remains overcrowded despite rezoning to move students to other K-5 campuses with classroom space.
- Teacher accused of threatening ‘another teacher’
- Court date rescheduled
- Rutherford County Schools spokesman confirms case involves first-grade teacher at Stewarts Creek Elementary
A suspended Stewarts Creek Elementary teacher faces a rescheduled Jan. 5 court date on aggravated assault and false imprisonment charges.
The teacher, Jill-Marie Haynes, had an initial Dec. 1 General Sessions Court date before Judge Ben Bennett prior to the hearing date being postponed to Jan. 5 at the Rutherford County Judicial Center in downtown Murfreesboro.
Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans verified to The Daily News Journal that the case involves a district teacher at a campus based on the far southwest side of Smyrna.
“Stewarts Creek Elementary first-grade teacher Jill Haynes was placed on unpaid suspension on Nov. 6, 2025, pending the outcome of a law enforcement investigation being conducted by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office,” Evans said.
“I am not aware of any students being present during the alleged incident.”
Teacher accused of threatening ‘another teacher’
Case records show the incident and investigation in question occurred Nov. 4.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni told the DNJ that Detective Blake Shaw investigated the case that led to Haynes facing aggravated assault and false imprisonment charges “after she allegedly threated another teacher Nov. 4 at the school.”
The other teacher told the detective that “Haynes yelled at her for being in her classroom, followed her into another room and blocked her from exiting,” Marchesoni said.
The detective, Marchesoni said, reported that Haynes allegedly held a paper cutter toward the other teacher, while discussing chopping her and sending her to the emergency room.
The other teacher, the detective reported, feared for her safety, Marchesoni said.
In a statement to Blake, Haynes said she “made a very poor joke about using a paper chopper,” Marchesoni said.
Haynes was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center in Murfreesboro the same day of the incident and released on $6,000 bond, the sheriff’s spokeswoman added.
Attorney Ben Powers is representing Haynes for an initial court hearing date reset to an 8:30 a.m. Jan. 5 docket, he confirmed to the DNJ.
“We have no comment at this time,” Powers said.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
