Former Vandalia Christian sixth-grade teacher arrested on 10 sexual exploitation counts

Richard Lynn Upright, 56, a now-former sixth-grade teacher at Vandalia Christian School in Guilford County, was arrested Feb. 27 and "arrested Friday on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of minors, according to court records and school officials." He is scheduled to appear in Guilford County district court on March 26, 2026 at 2 p.m., court records show.

Court documents allege that Upright created and distributed sexually explicit material involving minors. "The charges stem from allegations that he created and distributed sexually explicit material involving minors, some of which included manipulated images of students, court documents show." The filing language in the initial reporting identifies the use of manipulated images that purportedly depicted students, though the documents made public so far do not detail the number or ages of the alleged victims.

Parents connected to Vandalia Christian School were informed of the arrest by the school, but received limited information. "According to a source familiar with the situation, parents at Vandalia Christian School were notified in a brief call from the school that a teacher had been arrested, though details of the allegations were not provided," a statement in the court-based reporting said. Vandalia Christian School is identified in reporting as a private Christian school located in Guilford County; the school has not released a public statement in the material provided.

Legal procedures noted in court records show Upright "waived a probable-cause hearing, according to court documents." The waiver and the March 26 district court date are the next formal steps recorded in the public docket; the reporting does not include a case or docket number. The initial account identifies the arrest date as Feb. 27 and confirms custody was taken that day: "Richard Lynn Upright, 56, was taken into custody on Feb. 27."

Several procedural and factual details remain unreported in the documents cited. The arresting law enforcement agency, booking location, bond or bail status, and whether the alleged victims are current students or former students are not specified in the court records excerpt provided. The reporting also does not include statements from Vandalia Christian School officials, law enforcement spokespeople, the district attorney, or family members, nor does it cite any prior complaints or investigations tied to Upright.

The March 26 district court appearance will be the next scheduled public date tied to this case, and court filings available at that hearing are likely to clarify statutory counts, the scope of the allegations, and whether additional charges or protective orders will be sought. For Guilford County families connected to Vandalia Christian School, the limited information released so far - an arrest on 10 counts and allegations involving manipulated images of students - has already prompted notification by the school and a pending court process that will unfold on March 26 at 2 p.m.