A former elementary school teacher who allegedly encouraged students to attack one another in a disturbing classroom “fight club” has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty.
Julious Johnican, 25, was sentenced September 24 to two years with the Indiana Department of Correction. He received credit for one day already served.
Johnican entered his guilty plea on August 4, following an investigation into allegations at George Washington Carver Montessori Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) School 87 in Indianapolis.
The case involves cellphone footage that allegedly shows a seven-year-old boy being attacked by a classmate while Johnican stood nearby and encouraged the assault.
According to the boy’s attorneys, the video was discovered accidentally during a parent-teacher conference. Johnican was allegedly trying to show the child’s parents another recording from his classroom.
Instead, a lawsuit filed by the family says, he unintentionally played footage of the young student being repeatedly struck by another child.
As the boy cried, the student allegedly attacking him could be heard saying, “don’t mess with me,” while Johnican remained close by, according to the lawsuit.
Toward the end of the recording, the seven-year-old reportedly cried, “I didn’t mess with him.” Johnican allegedly urged the assault on before eventually directing the students to return to their places.
Former teacher Julious Johnican was sentenced Thursday after admitting his role in orchestrating a classroom fight club and recording an attack involving students with disabilities
The family of a student with special needs accused Johnican of recording the attack on the child with his cellphone. His voice can allegedly be heard encouraging the beating
Tammy Meyer, an attorney for the boy’s family, said the recording was especially troubling because of Johnican’s alleged comments during the attack.
“Are you done yet?” Meyer said, recounting what the teacher could allegedly be heard saying on the video. “It’s shocking.”
The family’s lawyers contend that the incident captured on video was part of a broader pattern rather than a one-time event.
The civil lawsuit alleges that, for about three months, Johnican ran what attorneys called a “fight club-type of discipline” in his classroom, either encouraging or permitting students to physically attack the seven-year-old.
On two additional occasions, the lawsuit claims, Johnican restrained the boy while classmates punched, kicked and struck him.
“It appears that this was being used as a disciplinary technique in his classroom,” attorney Catherine Michael said. “Instead of beating a child senselessly himself, at least according to what we have, he was allowing another child to do it.”
The student was in second grade and had disabilities that included sensory sensitivities, an executive-function disorder and probable learning disabilities, according to the lawsuit.
His mother allegedly noticed that he was increasingly returning home upset and unhappy. The boy also repeatedly told her that he was being abused, bullied and harassed in the classroom.
Johnican was sentenced in Marion County Superior Court on September 24 after reaching a plea agreement
The mother reportedly brought her concerns to school staff and met with Johnican several times.
According to the lawsuit, however, the teacher allegedly dismissed the child’s claims as behavioral problems and suggested that he was lying or mentally ill.
The allegations eventually prompted a criminal investigation as well as a civil lawsuit against IPS and several school employees.
Johnican was arrested on May 31 and appeared in court for his initial hearing on June 4. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the former teacher had violated the trust placed in him by parents and students.
‘Schools are supposed to be safe spaces where children can learn, grow and feel protected,’ Mears said in a September 24 statement. ‘The defendant abused the trust placed in him as an educator and subjected vulnerable children to the unthinkable. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for that betrayal of trust and the harm he caused.’
Meyer, however, said she was left concerned by Johnican’s apparent reaction to the proceedings. ‘I don’t think, from the impression I got today, that he understands the gravity,’ she said. ‘He should by now, but I don’t think he does.’
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Court documents also reveal that investigators were given an alternative explanation for the cellphone recording.
The paralegal claimed the seven-year-old had a history of behavioral problems, including hitting other children and knocking items from their desks.
Previous reports indicated that Johnican was an emergency permitted teacher hired during the COVID-19 pandemic and was not fully certified
According to the account provided to detectives, Johnican recorded the incident so he could show the boy’s parents what he claimed their son was doing to other students.
The family’s attorneys strongly dispute that explanation. Meyer questioned why investigators relied on information from a paralegal rather than speaking with school officials who were directly involved with the child.
‘The detective talked with a paralegal who is not involved with this child or their family whatsoever,’ Meyer said. ‘Why in the world would you talk to a paralegal instead of the principal who has been removed, the vice principal, the teacher? Get to the real evidence.’
Detectives also interviewed the boy, who told investigators that there had been multiple incidents in which Johnican encouraged other students to hit him.
‘The fact that charges have finally been filed is a huge relief to this family,’ Michael said.
‘But when we look at the probable cause affidavit, you can see that teachers aren’t being interviewed, child witnesses aren’t being interviewed, other families aren’t being interviewed. That’s what needs to happen to get a full picture of what was happening in this classroom.’
One of the family’s biggest remaining questions is what happened to the cellphone that allegedly captured the attack.
Detectives applied for a search warrant for Johnican’s phone, but court documents indicate that his attorney told investigators he had not yet had time to meet with Johnican to obtain the device or determine whether his client would make a statement about the allegations.
The boy’s mother has also filed a lawsuit against Indianapolis Public Schools, Superintendent Johnson and several other school employees, alleging that school officials failed to adequately protect the boy despite his mother’s repeated voiced concerns
For the family’s attorneys, the delay has raised concerns about whether potentially crucial evidence could still be recovered.
‘This should have happened nine months ago,’ Meyer said. ‘I’m wondering if we are ever going to see that phone or not?’
Michael said investigators need to determine whether the device contains footage of other alleged incidents involving children.
‘The concerning thing about not having the cellphone is how many incidents he may have recorded,’ she said. ‘We know there were multiple attacks our client was a victim of.’
The boy’s mother has also filed a lawsuit against IPS, Superintendent Johnson and several other school employees.
The complaint names the school’s principal and vice principal, a behavioral consultant, a substitute teacher and Johnican.
The lawsuit alleges that school officials failed to adequately protect the boy despite his mother’s repeated concerns.
However, IPS confirmed that Johnican resigned before the district could fire him.
Superintendent Johnson addressed students, staff and families in a video message after the disturbing footage emerged, branding it as ‘appalling and disturbing.’
‘It has been an incredibly tough time for our community the last few days,’ Johnson said.
The district also announced reviews of its policies, protocols and procedures, including an external review to determine whether additional safeguards were necessary.
The boy’s mother has called for broader reforms aimed at improving student safety in Indiana schools.