Paris, IL. (ECWd) –
Press Release from Paris School District 95:
From Superintendent Larson in a letter sent to parents,
“The attached statement was sent out on December 12, 2022. I can confirm the coach was JT Johnson. He was a volunteer assistant coach for the boys’ basketball team. He is no longer with the district. We have terminated his volunteer status. The victims were in 7th and 9th grade. The victims were not on the boys’ basketball team. In regards to charges, you will need to contact the Paris Police Department for more information.”
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Dear Parents and Community Members,
Paris Union School District No. 95 has learned of the arrest of a volunteer assistant coach for the online solicitation of minors. The volunteer coach was removed from all school duties once the district became aware of the allegation, and we have been working with local law enforcement and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services since that time.
The professional expectations for our staff members are very clear, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated. The safety of our students is our top priority, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities as they assess this situation. Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Paris Police Department.
If you have any questions, please email Dr. Jeremy Larson at jlarson@paris95school.org or you can call at 217 (465)-8448.
From the Court docket:
- Bond of $1,000.00 posted on 12/15/2021.
- No contact with underage minors that are not family members
- First appearance set for 01/06/2022 at 9:00 in courtroom 2.
1 Comment
Sgt. Joe Friday (LAPD Ret.)
Posted at 22:09h, 15 DecemberI’m sure that the school district’s attorney has counseled the district not to provide any specific details and no information beyond a general “boilerplate” statement. However, I would think that the district would want the public to know what procedures/protocols are in place to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen again, or at least, would make such a thing very unlikely to happen again. Outlining the specific procedures used to vet this particular individual will surely be demanded by not only the families of the alleged victims but the community at large. Reassurance and accountability to the community are both necessary to instill confidence in the district, its schools, and the administrators and staff that are responsible for recruiting district volunteers and employees.