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Parents, survivors press Triton school board after coach's conviction; board reads public statement
Summary
At a Triton School Corporation board meeting, the board read a public statement about a civil lawsuit and the criminal conviction of former teacher/coach Whitaker; parents and survivors urged transparency, and a petition with 377 signatures called for administrators named in the suit to be placed on administrative leave.
The Triton School Corporation board opened a public-comment period during which several community members urged the board to increase transparency and accountability following the criminal case against a former teacher and coach, Whitaker. The board read a public statement saying a civil lawsuit has been filed and that "First, no investig- investigation is going on," while confirming that Whitaker resigned after administrators reported concerns in October 2024 and later pled guilty and was sentenced on June 9, 2025.
Why it matters: community speakers told the board they fear for student safety and trust in district leadership. Tyson Order, who said he started the online petition, told the board "There’s 377 signatures already," and urged that administrators named in the lawsuit be placed on administrative leave while the legal process continues. Laura Pepper, who identified herself as a school parent and a survivor, said, "My daughter is a victim of sexual assault," and described what she said was an unacceptable response from school staff.
The board's statement said the affected student and family filed a lawsuit and that Triton School's insurer is defending the corporation. According to the statement, district administrators contacted the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Child Services, and law enforcement in October 2024; the state later revoked Whitaker’s teaching license; prosecutors filed criminal charges and Whitaker pled guilty and was sentenced on June 9, 2025. The statement also said law enforcement investigated whether administrators reported in a timely fashion and that no charges were filed against Triton employees.
Community reaction was mixed. Stephen Bank criticized district culture as a "toxic patriarchal power structure" and said parents have lost trust. Paul Williams, president of the Tri-City Teachers Association, told the board the union had no knowledge of Whitaker’s conduct and cautioned against defamatory statements about union members, saying the union would pursue legal remedies if members were slandered.
Board action and next steps: The meeting record shows the board read and posted the public statement and accepted public comment; the transcript does not record any vote to place administrators on leave or a formal board directive arising from the public-comment period. The board closed public comment and proceeded to routine business and board reports; the meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
Context and clarifications: The transcript records the board's reading that "Whitaker pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced by the court in June 9th of 2025." A petition signer (Tyson Order) cited Indiana law regarding mandatory reporting (Indiana law code 31-33-5-2). The transcript does not show any new internal-discipline action taken in open session or any formal board vote on administrative leave for the administrators named in the lawsuit.
What to watch: community members requested more transparency and follow-up; the transcript does not document a scheduled special meeting or personnel action to address the petitioners' requests. The district statement and the community speakers are on the record; further public-board records or minutes would be needed to confirm any subsequent administrative steps.
