Andrew Seagoe, the Junction High School volunteer coach, has been banned from school after the parents and administration found out about his past misconduct.
Seagoe previously had his teaching license suspended for one year due to an inappropriate relationship with a student he was coaching.
Junction City School District Superintendent Troy Stoops said, “We’re here to protect kids. When we have any knowledge that there’s anyone who could potentially be at risk for our students, we’re not going to have them on campus.”
Seagoe, who returned as a Volunteer coach in 2013, didn’t have any criminal charges against him, creating a loophole in the volunteer background checks.
At the time of the incident, the Oregon Teachers Standards Practices Commission (TSPC) investigated the case of the Cheerleader and Coach and found that their relationship was inappropriate, resulting in a temporary license suspension.
Junction City High School requires volunteers to undergo criminal background checks; however, there is no formal application process in place to review their licensing or disciplinary history.
Stoops had now acknowledged the loophole: “We’ll be reviewing our volunteer process to see how we can identify licensure issues that wouldn’t show up on a standard background check.”
Parents have Blamed Administration
As a concerned parent, John Gutierrez said, “It’s appalling that the school would knowingly allow someone with a documented history of inappropriate relationships with students back onto the coaching staff. Our kids’ safety should never be compromised.”
Screenshots of the findings of this investigation, as well as the official documentation, are available for review.
Another parent, Bethany Ware, added, “It is appalling that Raquel Cope and JCHS athletics would knowingly allow Seagoe back onto the coaching staff, potentially putting children at risk of further inappropriate relationships.”
These are just a few examples of how outraged the parents are after the School has put their kids in danger, without their prior knowledge and background check of their staff.
Many parents have now demanded that the Cheer Coach be immediately terminated and that the officials, mainly Raquel Cope, the Cheer Head Coach, who was aware of Seagoe’s past, must bear the consequences for allowing him back to Coaching.
One individual added, “I dont understand how he was allowed back to the SAME school where the inappropriate relationship happened…. like they didn’t remember? JC is a small town. They knew,” while others are left angered, saying they won’t allow him anywhere near their or other kids as well.
