By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter

LENOIR CITY (WATE) - An assistant coach at Lenoir City High School was dismissed Wednesday for inappropriately texting a student.

Another student told officials they needed to investigate the actions of Dexter Davidson, 27, so they brought in the Lenoir City Police Department, said Superintendent Wayne Miller.

Police Chief Don White said their investigation revealed that Davidson violated school policy, but didn't engage in any criminal activity.

The school system says the text messages were started by the 17-year-old girl and included photographs she sent to Davidson.

When asked about the nature of the messages, Miller said, "They were extremely inappropriate. That's really the extent I can elaborate. There is still an open police investigation."

Police say there is no evidence at this time that shows Davidson texting pictures back to the girl, but the superintendent says the line was clearly crossed when Davidson responded to the texts.

Miller says officials believe they learned about the messages "pretty early."

Senior student Meagan Archer says the whole thing is hard to believe. "Someone told me and I thought it was weird. I didn't believe it at first. He was really nice. I had him for in-school (suspension) sometimes. He was a really good guy."

A parent at the school, Lori Thomas, says she's disappointed. "Teachers shouldn't have to be doing this stuff and they should be prosecuted however they have to be."

"The only facts that will be verified are the facts that we have already verified, and that's not enough to pursue legal charges," Miller said.

Davidson was an assistant coach for football and basketball, and he worked as an aide in charge of in-school suspension.

He was escorted out of the school on Wednesday.