An ex-Indianapolis Public Schools teacher is expected to admit guilt this week to a felony neglect charge tied to violence he allowed and recorded in his own classroom.
Julious Johnican is scheduled to enter his plea on August 4 in Marion Superior Court, according to attorney Tammy Meyer of Metzger Rosta LLP, who represents one of the affected families. The charge, neglect of a dependent, is a Level 6 felony in Indiana.
Allegations Surfaced Through Civil Lawsuit
The case traces back to the fall of 2023, when Johnican worked at George Washington Carver Montessori IPS School. A civil lawsuit filed on behalf of a seven-year-old special needs student first brought the allegations to light, claiming the district and school administrators failed to protect children in Johnican’s care.
Investigators say Johnican did not intervene during at least one fight between students that unfolded in his classroom sometime between September and October of that year.
According to court filings, the mother of the injured child said Johnican had shown her footage of the assault during a parent-teacher conference.
A voice on that recording could reportedly be heard urging one student to continue attacking the other, and authorities allege that voice belonged to Johnican himself. Additional court documents describe several other episodes in which Johnican reportedly failed to shield students from violence, and in some instances allegedly encouraged children with special needs to fight one another while he supervised.
Settlement Reached, Prison Time Possible
Once the allegations became public, Johnican resigned from his position, and the district had already moved to recommend his termination. Reports at the time noted he had been brought on as an emergency permitted teacher during the pandemic and had not completed full certification requirements.
Separately, another family said their daughter witnessed ongoing violence in the classroom, leaving her with lingering fear and anxiety. The civil case against Johnican and the school district concluded in April, with IPS agreeing to a settlement exceeding 1.2 million dollars.
If the judge accepts the plea agreement, Johnican could receive a sentence ranging from six months up to two and a half years behind bars. Attorneys for the families involved say the case highlights a troubling failure to protect vulnerable children who should have been safe under adult supervision at school.
