Waggener (Louisville, Kentucky) High School football coach Jordan Johnson was fired last month after exchanging text messages of a sexual nature with a student, according to documents obtained from Jefferson County Public Schools.
Johnson was fired for “insubordination, immoral character, conduct unbecoming a teacher and neglect of duty,” according to a Jan. 23 letter from JCPS superintendent Marty Pollio.
According to documents, a Waggener student told JCPS officials she had confided in Johnson that she was sexually assaulted and began communicating with Johnson through Facebook and text messages.
The student admitted she asked about “sexual endeavors and experiences,” including when Johnson lost his virginity and about different sexual activities. The student claimed Johnson asked her to send him pictures and that she became upset and told Johnson to stop messaging her. Johnson claimed he was asking for pictures of the student’s mission trip.
Documents state a parent of the student’s classmate disclosed the communications to a Waggener staff member, ultimately leading to a JCPS investigation.
WDRB.com reported Johnson did not appeal his termination and that JCPS did not forward the matter to law enforcement.
Johnson posted a 25-21 record in four seasons as Waggener’s head coach. He did not coach in last season’s finale, a 23-20 loss at Russell in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs on Nov. 9.
That game came the same day Johnson was notified he was being reassigned as JCPS reviewed a “personnel decision.”
In a letter dated Nov. 30, Johnson wrote, “I have spent my life trying to teach my football players the right way and how to respond in these situations. I never thought it would be me in the situation. I panicked and said things I shouldn’t of (sic) said, trying to break the awkwardness and I failed miserably. … However, at no time was I trying to make advances toward this student.”
Johnson also wrote that he’s “worked with thousands of students and raised 11 foster children and never had a single issue.”
