JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former teachers and students of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts are reacting after longtime vocal teacher Jeffrey Clayton pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony charges for his interactions with students.
Clayton is the former Douglas Anderson teacher whose March 2023 arrest started an investigation into how the school and the district look into inappropriate actions by teachers.
Clayton is charged with multiple felonies related to accusations that he inappropriately touched female students during private lessons.
Every person who spoke with First Coast News regarding this story was astounded that Clayton switched his plea from not guilty to guilty. They added that Wednesday is an emotional day and that their thoughts are with the victims at this time.
"We are prepared today to withdraw our previously entered plea of not guilty and enter a plea of guilty," said Clayton's attorney John Christopher Rockwell in Duval County court.
Clayton's criminal case was thrown under the spotlight with a Snapchat picture of his arrest at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in March 2023.
"This is a man, who for years, didn't own up to anything," said Jack Leon, former Douglas Anderson voice co-chair and teacher.
"He was a belligerent man who intimidated the students," said Dina Barone, another former Douglas Anderson teacher. "From the time I worked there, I had countless times I went to the principal with problems."
"He treated everybody pretty poorly," said Leon, who was also a student of Clayton's before he became Clayton's coworker. "It's important to say that there are victims of the sexual abuse and grooming, but there are also people who dealt with him on other things and he was definitely abusive in different ways."
In the days and weeks that followed Clayton's arrest, former teachers and even former students at Douglas Anderson expressed outrage because they said they had filed many complaints about Clayton over the years.
"Every time you'd say something to administration it would be ignored, everything had a reason or excuse," said Leon.
On Monday, before Clayton's change of plea, Florida State Senator Clay Yarborough sent a letter to the interim superintendent and called on the district to release the results of its investigation into Clayton. He also called for changes to how Douglas Anderson and DCPS handles complaints of misconduct.
"Today's news does not cure the ongoing pattern of inappropriate sexual issues at the school. Ignoring years worth of symptoms brought us to what happened today and it is only one part. Waiting until after hiring another new superintendent or until after this year's school board elections to release the investigation report will only make matters worse," said Yarborough.
He went onto say: "Duval County Public Schools and City of Jacksonville's Office of General Counsel have an opportunity right now to start dealing with the chronic problems. Will they choose to do so or look the other way is the question. The taxpayer-funded investigation report commissioned by DCPS and the COJ OGC needs to be released so we can know how far-reaching the issues go and work to address them. To delay suggests more wrongdoing is being hidden. Parents are demanding answers and our students deserve better. Where is the transparency?"
Wednesday afternoon DCPS sent the following statement to First Coast News regarding Yarborough's letter to the district:
"We have received the Senator's letter. Dr. Kriznar is preparing a comprehensive plan to address the situation at Douglas Anderson. In addition to addressing the situation at DA, the plan will include safeguards for students in schools throughout the district. This plan will be announced and implemented prior to the conclusion of her service as superintendent," said a district spokesperson."
Current Douglas Anderson student Ben Ebner-Winkler has previously spoken out about Clayton's conduct to the Duval County School Board. Wednesday, he told First Coast News: "I'm relieved to see he's finally being held accountable by the law. And that the school board is finally starting to improve at taking action. I hope he feels guilt and remorse for what he's done but knowing him, it is likely he doesn't regret a thing except getting caught."
Wednesday morning in court Clayton was brief when addressing his change of plea.
"Are you pleading guilty because indeed you committed these offenses?" asked Judge Tatiana Salvador.
"Yes your honor," responded Clayton.
Part of Clayton's plea agreement prevents the state from adding new charges related to his actions as a teacher at Douglas Anderson.
"I'm a little upset about that because I think this has been going on for years," said Barone.
"He deserves to sit for the rest of his life and think about all the trouble he's put people in over the years," said Leon.
Clayton will be sentenced on June 14, he faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.