Triton board says no new internal probe as community demands administrative leaves after former coach's conviction

At a regularly scheduled meeting of the Triton School Corporation board, trustees read a prepared public statement addressing a civil lawsuit and criminal proceedings involving a former teacher and coach identified in the statement as Whitaker. The board said there is no new internal investigation and that Whitaker resigned after allegations surfaced in October 2024, his teaching license was revoked by the state, and he later pled guilty and was sentenced on June 9, 2025.

The statement, read aloud to the assembly by the presiding officer, said Triton Schools notified the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Department of Child Services and law enforcement when administrators first learned of Whitaker’s conduct and that the district’s insurer is defending the school corporation in the civil suit. "Following that investigation, no charges were filed against any Triton School employees," the board statement said.

Why it matters: dozens of community members used the meeting’s public-comment period to press the board for accountability and to question whether district leaders had followed mandatory reporting laws. Several speakers urged temporary administrative leaves for officials named in the civil complaint while the legal process proceeds; one petitioner organizer told the board the online petition has 377 signatures and asked for objective review measures to restore public trust.

Community speakers described a range of experiences and concerns. Tyson Horner, who said he started the petition, told trustees the petition is "not about personal attacks" but about ensuring a "safe and trusted environment for every student family" and that putting administrators on leave is a "temporary measure" that can help maintain public confidence. Steven Bank asked trustees to reflect on community trust and called the district’s culture "toxic" for some students.

Other commenters gave personal accounts of harm and distress. Laura Hepworth, who described herself as a former parent in the community, said she was "sick to my stomach" after reading the civil complaint and recounted family trauma she said was affected by the district’s handling of past incidents. The Triton Teachers Association president, Paul Williams, responded during public comment to defend union members and warned against unfounded accusations; he said the union had no knowledge of the misconduct and would defend members from defamation.

What the board said it did and did not do: the public statement reiterated that Triton reported Whitaker to state authorities in October 2024 and that the state revoked his license. It said prosecutors later charged him and that he pled guilty. The statement also said there are no new facts to report and that Whitaker is no longer associated with the district or permitted on school grounds.

Next steps: the board did not take any formal personnel action at the meeting related to administrative leaves. Trustees closed the 15-minute public-comment window after several speakers and proceeded to routine building reports and other business. The board directed speakers to use established procedures for follow-up questions and indicated staff would respond by email when appropriate.

The meeting transcript shows continuing community concern about whether mandatory reporting and internal procedures were followed; several speakers urged the board to pursue additional transparency measures while the civil case proceeds.