CLEVELAND (GA)
Atlanta News First [Atlanta, GA]
April 16, 2026
By Atlanta News First staff
A former coach and physical education teacher at a Hall County private Christian school was arrested Thursday and charged with taking photos and videos under the clothing of female students.
Joel Ernest Lulinski, 52, of Cleveland, Georgia, allegedly committed the acts while working at Lanier Christian Academy in Flowery Branch, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
The victims were all female students at the school who were under 16 years old, the sheriff’s office said.
Lulinski is charged with 27 counts of the felony charge of the use or installation of a device to film underneath or through an individual’s clothing under certain circumstances, deputies said.
The investigation into Lulinski’s activities began April 2, when a victim reported her suspicions to school officials.
School officials immediately contacted a deputy, who was working extra duty at the school, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputy shared the report with the agency’s Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB).
Over the next 12 days, investigators determined Lulinski had used his cellphone “on multiple occasions to take inappropriate and surreptitious photos or videos of minor children during the course of normal school activities.”
Following questioning by investigators Thursday, Lulinski was taken into custody at HCSO headquarters. He was then booked into the Hall County Jail, where he remains on a $175,500 bond.
Lulinski was the high school’s head varsity football coach, the bio in the official LCA Varsity Football X account said Thursday evening. Hours later, his name was removed from the bio.
Lulinski led the school to the Georgia Association of Private & Parochial Schools (GAPPS) Division 1 state championship in 2024 and 2025, according to the GAPPS site.
In a press release sent to Atlanta News First on Thursday night, school officials referred to him as a former employee.
In the release, school officials said they told the sheriff’s office about the allegations within three hours of learning about them, in full compliance with Georgia law.
Lanier Christian Academy said Lulinski “was employed as a teacher and coach with the school since 2019 and underwent background screening prior to hiring and at regular intervals during employment.”
“While this news is devastating for the victims and heartbreaking for our school community, we are grateful this was reported. As a school family, we are shocked and grieved by these events,” school officials said in a statement. “We realize there will be questions and concerns, and we want to address them promptly and with care.”
The school said counseling services will be available for students and families.
Lanier Christian Academy “is cooperating fully with the investigation and is working with law enforcement and legal counsel to review student safety protocols,” officials said.
The school said “questions involving the criminal investigation and charges will be handled by investigators with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.”
Earlier Thursday, Atlanta News First reached out to the head of school and athletic director (AD) for Lanier Christian Academy for comment. The AD directed Atlanta News First to the head of school for questions.