The director of personnel for Jefferson County Schools was arrested this week in Tuscaloosa and charged with engaging in a sex act with a student and with possession of child pornography.
Authorities say Brett Kirkham, director of human resources for Jefferson County Schools, is charged with having a sex with a juvenile, during the years he worked as an educator in Hueytown. A complaint from the juvenile two weeks ago led authorities to confiscate Kirkham’s computers, and more charges could come, says Bill Veitch, District Attorney for the Bessemer Cutoff.
“The investigation is ongoing and we’ve got a long way to go in analyzing things that we found, things that we suspect and things that we’ve been told,” Veitch says.
Kirkham, who’s on paid leave with Jefferson County Schools, has been a teacher, assistant principal and principal in addition to his work as director of human resources.
Veitch says several images and illicit material were on Kirkham’s devices. Incidents alleged in Kirkham’s case may have started as early as middle school and continued in high school.