A coach at Cypress Christian School was fired for “inappropriate communications” with a minor via TikTok.
School President Jeff Potts notified families on April 30 that Jared Barber had been caught communicating with “a minor who is a former CCS student living out of the area.”
According to Potts, Barber is now under “an active investigation.”
“Upon receiving the information, CCS immediately placed Barber on administrative leave, directed him to return from a school event, reported the matter to child-protection authorities, and began cooperating with law enforcement,” wrote Potts.
As soon as Barber returned from the school event, CCS administration met with him and terminated his employment. In addition, Barber is not permitted on school property, to have contact with students or staff, or participate in or attend any school activity.
We know this news is deeply troubling. It is troubling to us as well. We take our responsibility to protect the well-being and safety of our students very seriously. We want to be as transparent as possible, while recognizing this matter involves a minor, law enforcement, and an active investigation, there are details we cannot share.
“Please know the safety and protection of students is our priority,” added Potts.
In a followup message to CCS families, Potts said the school had “continued working closely with appropriate authorities” and “reached out to other individuals” who may have been impacted,” as well as taken steps to “reinforce” campus safety and security.
Potts also stated that CCS pre-screens all employees against the state’s Do Not Hire Registry and conducts background and checks.
He noted that the CCS staff handbook prohibits social media contact with students, and all employees are required to complete annual MinistrySafe training on how to identify and report grooming.
Families whose students have received concerning, inappropriate, or boundary-crossing communication from Barber are encouraged to contact the school or CPS.
Barber was a secondary school coach. Parents say he has worked at several other private schools in Texas and surrounding states during the past decade.
He does not hold a Texas teaching certificate and is not on the Do Not Hire Registry, so it is unclear whether he is also under investigation by the Texas Education Agency.
A new state law passed last year to strengthen educator misconduct reporting specifies that schools must report allegations of boundary violations, grooming behaviors, and inappropriate communication.
The reporting requirements apply to both public and private schools.
Reports of such ethical violations are increasing—and increasingly costing educators their jobs.
Denton ISD notified families last week that an unnamed teacher at Cheek Middle School had been placed on leave for communicating with students via social media and is under investigation by the Elm Ridge Police Department.
Also this month, wrestling coach Billy Durning left Conroe ISD over alleged boundary-crossing and sexual grooming of underage female athletes, and coach Derrick Jenkins apparently resigned from Collinsville ISD over allegations of grooming female students via social media communications. Both are the subject of ongoing police investigations.
In the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other children, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for sexual misconduct.
The TEA’s Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard shows that the agency is currently investigating more than 2,000 sexual misconduct complaints and opening an average of 250 new cases each month.
Texas Education Code and State Board for Educator Certification rules define “educator misconduct” as behavior that violates law, professional ethics, student safety, or the integrity of the education profession. Misconduct may involve certified educators, applicants for certification, school employees, contractors, service providers, or other individuals who work directly with students.
