Truett-McConnell trustees to meet as sexual abuse scandal worsens

Trustees of Truett McConnell University are meeting Friday to discuss charges of alleged sexual abuse against Hayle Swinson, a former student and later employee, committed by a former university vice president.

Valdosta, Ga., trustee B. Miles Hannan confirmed the meeting to the Northeast Georgian newspaper in today’s edition, saying “Things are in flux and there’s a lot to talk about. We’ve got 24 trustees, so that’s 24 opinions to consider.”

The newspaper said the agenda is expected to address the scandal and possibly determine the future of university President Emir Caner, who is accused of not responding appropriately.

Caner responds

In a June 2 YouTube video, Caner denied any wrongdoing on behalf of the university and said, “There was no Title IX filed or human resources complaint, there was no petition that ever came across my desk.”

He said he is aggrieved to see that “one of our own family at Truett McConnell has been hurt in this way. My family and I and all of us hurt for Hayle Swinson and the sin that was so grievous against her.”

“We have personally prayed for her healing and are thankful for her voice. And while there was no coverup or Title IX filed or HR complaint, there was no petition that came across my desk, we have to do better because these are our students, these are people of our family, and we have to find the cracks and the fissures that we must have missed.

Multiple petitions are calling for change at the university along with the termination of Caner due to his alleged coverup.

Swinson allegations

On May 29, Swinson, a former student and woman’s soccer team member who later served on staff as a soccer coach, charged she was a victim of long-term sexual abuse by then-Vice President Bradley Reynolds that began in 2009. The relationship, which began with discipleship and spiritual mentoring, devolved into a years-long grooming and 350 emails which have been described as digital rape.

Swinson is not seeking monetary compensation but is speaking out as a warning to former, current or future students and calling for administrative reform at the North Georgia university, she said. Although the criminal statute of limitations expired after four years, she is alleging Caner was made aware of the abuse but failed to look into the situation and threatened to fire anyone who discussed it.

In 2024, Reynolds informed the university he was being investigated by the White County Sheriff’s Office for an inappropriate relationship after Swinson provided law enforcement with copies of nearly 350 graphic emails. A few months later, in early summer, Reynolds was not terminated but released from employment. Shortly thereafter, possibly due to the expiration of the state statute of limitations, the sheriff’s case was closed.

The relationship, which developed slowly in Swinson’s junior or senior year, became an open secret on campus, according to her lawyers and other students. Swinson maintains there was no university advocacy group through which to seek help, even when 50 students filed a petition about Reynolds with the administration.

Caner denies he ever saw such a petition even thought it was widely circulated on campus and cited female students’ uneasiness with Reynolds.

The alleged coverup continued for nearly a decade until Swinson publicly revealed the relationship in late May through a podcast with Julie Roys. That was four months after Truett McConnell trustees and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board — as well as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Swinson’s legislator Gabriel Sanchez — received a detailed dossier from the law firm of Shein, Brandenburg and Shrope. The 13-page document, which has been reviewed by Baptist News Global, included summaries of the explicit emails.

Swinson herself had earlier turned over the trove of emails to the White County Sheriff’s Office, which found no cause for prosecution. However, their forensic examination of Reynolds’ mobile phone verified the existence of the emails having come from his personal Yahoo account which he previously denied owning.

During the relationship, in which Swinson said she felt trapped, Reynolds told her God had showed him in a dream that his wife was going to die and Swinson would become his wife and help him raise their children. Numerous emails were filled with pledges of his love for her and pornographic descriptions of having wet dreams of having sex with her on Caribbean beaches and other locations.

The alleged sexual abuse began under the guise of Reynolds offering private Bible studies for Swinson, who was a new Christian. They often met in the basement of Reynolds’ home, with his family upstairs.

More details on allegations

BNG previously reported on Swinson’s allegations, but additional details have come to light through BNG’s review of documents sent from the law firm to the university. A 13-page letter from the firm states both Reynolds and former faculty member Jeremy Lyon utilized their positions “to access and then harm, emotionally and mentally, at least two female students.”

Regarding Reynolds’ relationship with Swinson, the law firm’s letter states:

Swinson advised she was new in her faith and her desire to know Jesus increased daily. Reynolds told Swinson on several occasions he would not touch her again so, in trust, Swinson returned to Reynolds’ home.

Reynolds’ actions, however, progressed.

Reynolds started placing his hands on Swinson’s waist, then eventually inside her pants and eventually penetrated her. Reynolds also forced Swinson to “massage his penis,” forced her to perform oral sex on him, and masturbated in her presence. The sexual manipulation through religion and abuse began here and only got worse. During these instances, she begged, “Please no.” (We are in possession of an email from Reynolds to Swinson dated January 14, 2014, in which Reynold writes, “Having said all of that please know I do want to protect you and thank you for saying, ‘Please don’t’ when you are uncomfortable.”)

And that’s only one example. The firm says there are “numerous more emails sexual in nature that Reynolds sent to Swinson” through July 2018.

Swinson recalled an occasion when she spent the night at the Reynolds home in their spare (basement) bedroom. Swinson is almost confident she locked the bedroom door. At some point during the middle of the night, she awoke and Reynolds was on top of her in the bed and Reynolds’ penis was going in and out of her vagina. Swinson stated she was “frozen” and did not say anything. This was one of the incidents Swinson reported to the White County, Ga., Sheriff’s Office.

Swinson recalled other occasions when she was in the basement bathroom in the shower. She is confident she always locked the door while showering. However, on several occasions, Reynolds unlocked the bathroom door and got into the shower with Swinson.

“At some point during the middle of the night, she awoke and Reynolds was on top of her in the bed.”

Swinson recalled “shutting down” and “freezing up,” i.e., still and emotionless.” (Even if Swinson did or did not lock her doors to the bedroom or shower Reynolds had no business evading Swinson’s safety in those locations.)

Then the law firm states, on Aug. 8, 2024, Swinson’s counselor, Mary Beth Pierce, provided a letter corroborating Swinson’s current testimony:

Hayle Swinson was under my care for a total of seven therapy sessions beginning May 19, 2021, and ending October 13, 2021. During our initial intake session on May 19, 2021, Ms. Swinson reported having flashes of terror and disturbing memories leading her to begin counseling. She reported having “memories of abuse” from her boss and pastor on staff at her school around 2013. She reported feeling rage, disgust, numbness, terror as these memories surfaced. She reported that that this was the first time she realized she had been ‘manipulated and preyed on.’

According to the law firm, Swinson was not the only female student Reynolds took a liking to. Another student simply identified as A.B. said Reynolds asked her to come to his office to discuss her decision to leave the soccer team. Reynolds closed the door with just the two of them and after she explained her decision, Reynolds stated, “Would you hold my hand to pray?”

She complied and as she prepared to leave, Reynolds stated, “Your hair looks very pretty today.” She described Reynolds as “very touchy” and always requested to hold hands to pray with female soccer team members. Once a player was comfortable with holding his hand, the touching progressed to his placing his arm around the player’s shoulders — similar actions as he performed with Swinson, she said.

Lyon allegations

Also new is the expansion of the law firm’s complaint to include Jeremy Lyon, who as recently as February was listed on the university website as an associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew but whose name no longer appears on the faculty page. This second complaint by a second student is among nine known cases, according to the law firm.

“At least nine women are known to have suffered emotional trauma as a result of the sexual abuse and harassment; however, at this time, only two are bold and courageous enough to step forward,” the firm said.

Due to privacy concerns, the law firm’s letter only refers to the second student as Jane Doe in the relationship with Lyon, but says she is willing to be interview by unbiased actors.

The document states that Caner “looked the other way, failed to act, or was willfully blind, thereby allowing the inappropriate conduct and harm to continue on campus. TMU failed to protect the two victims who were entrusted to their care and, as a result, these young women will carry emotional scars for the duration of their lives.

The document details an encounter Jane Doe had with Lyon on Oct. 20, 2021, when she was a sophomore. The alleged incident occurred late one evening when she was working out alone in the gym in the Student Life Building. After a couple of uncomfortable conversations initiated by Lyon — with whom she had no classes and had not previously met — Lyon approached once again, pressed his body against hers and she could feel he was sexually aroused, she said.

Lyon approached once again, pressed his body against hers and she could feel he was sexually aroused, she said.

She broke off the encounter and as she was preparing to leave, Lyon placed his hands on her waist and said he did not mean to upset her. She immediately pulled away and left.

Her roommate, upon hearing the account the next morning, reported the incident to the Student Life director on behalf of the still-disturbed Doe, who soon thereafter met with the director in person. On Oct. 26, Doe met with Title IX Coordinator Amy Harbst, who said the incident “was not acceptable at their university.”

Two days later, Doe was informed camera footage from the gym validated her statement.

She was told she had 90 days to file a complaint but was urged to consider carefully the harm she might do to Lyon and his family as well as her own future. Harbst said before the statement could be filed, Doe would have to explain to Lyon what he did to “hurt her.” Doe said her fear of being alone with Lyon would be too uncomfortable so she dropped the matter.

Doe said no one from the university ever followed up with her concerning the incident.

Lyon also founded the Center for Creation Studies at Southern California Seminary, where he coordinated creation apologetics research, education and outreach. In 2014, he joined Logos Research Associates as a research associate. While at Truett-McConnell College, he continued to teach adjunct courses at Southern California Seminary in the area of science and religion.

Alumni responses

At least two petitions began circulating immediately after Swinson’s charges were made public on May 29. Nearly 2,200 verified signatures are recorded on one public document at Change.org. A second only for verified Truett alumni is also collecting signatures.

Alumnus and former Student Government President Chris Rich of Charlotte, N.C., posted on the website of WDUN radio on Gainesville, Ga., about his concerns about his alma mater.

He is “heartbroken” about the scandal and said sexual abuse “is a grave violation of human rights.”

“Those responsible must be identified, prosecuted and held to account without exception, including those who sought to cover it up or ignore it. It’s clear that meaningful change in leadership is needed at the top. President Caner must resign immediately.”

“It’s clear that meaningful change in leadership is needed at the top. President Caner must resign immediately.”

Alumna Peggy Pritchard Kulesz, a retired university professor in Arlington, Texas, was among those who received an email of the Facebook statement the university posted to explain its response.

In her own letter to other alumni and staff and administrators, Kulesz noted that “several times there were warnings about this professor (Reynolds) that were either not taken seriously or were ignored. If only one person in power had acted on behalf of the young woman who is the primary victim, she and others could have been spared this abuse.”

In addition, she cites the Nov. 1, 2016, “smoking gun” email between Reynolds and Caner where the president “was aware of the rumors and failed to investigate or protect the victim. A complete investigation of the university president and any administrator (involved in the coverup) is imperative.”

She adds: “The motto on the letterhead of the email from the university states, ‘The Truth Matters to a Greater Degree.’ I could not agree more. The president should immediately be placed on administrative leave, and if it is found that he received any reports prior to 2024 he should be dismissed.”

Set in a larger context

Truett McConnell trustees will meet a few days before thousands of Baptists gather in Dallas for the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. “Messengers,” as voting participants are called, will conduct the denomination’s business on June 10 and 11 but are only indirectly related to the school. However, the national denomination has faced its own reckoning over allegations of mishandled clergy sexual abuse that still echoes everywhere.

The university is one of three institutions of higher learning affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention, which elects its trustees. Trustees, rather than the state mission board, have administrative oversight of Truett McConnell.

While Swinson and Reynolds are currently at the forefront of the Georgia scandal, at least nine women are alleged to have been abused at the Baptist school.

In an ironic twist in the middle of his illicit relationship, Reynolds penned an article in The Christian Index, state paper for Georgia Baptists, in which he staunchly defended Paige Patterson, who was in the middle of criticism for the way he mishandled a sexual abuse issue. At the time Patterson was president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. The scandal led to his ouster.

Caner, Reynolds and several other Truett McConnell administrators consider Patterson to be their spiritual and academic mentor. In March 2019 Truett McConnell named its annual spring lecture series in honor of Patterson and his wife — the Paige and Dorothy Patterson Spring Lecture Series.

 

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In Georgia, a Baptist school accused of ignoring sexual abuse despite a mountain of evidence

The rotten fruit of Paige Patterson’s loins | Opinion by David Bumgardner