JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4JAX I-TEAM has uncovered multiple instances of disciplinary actions taken against a long-time teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts who is now facing criminal charges involving a student.
Jeffrey Clayton, the vocal director at the school for more than two decades, is charged with two counts of offenses against students by authority figures, indecent lewd or lascivious touching of certain minors and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Clayton, who has resigned since he was arrested, was not in court Tuesday but pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chairman of the Duval County School Board said Thursday she is appalled to know district leaders knew of the teachers’ behavior as recently as 2021. Many former DA students and teachers have been questioning why nothing was done about Clayton sooner.
Clayton’s disciplinary records show he was accused of inappropriately touching students at least twice before he was arrested — that’s in addition to multiple other instances of inappropriate behavior that date back more than a decade.
In 2021, school district investigators found Clayton inappropriately put his arm around a student, rubbed her back and told her she was beautiful. In the disciplinary records, a box is checked saying he was disciplined, but there’s no documentation of a punishment or of him being removed from the classroom.
Another student made similar allegations in 2016, and in that case, Clayton was reprimanded by Principal Jacquelyn Cornelius, according to the records. According to Clayton’s disciplinary records, the student said Clayton “made her feel uncomfortable when he patted her on the back, rubbed her shoulder and told her, ‘wow, you look so beautiful today,’ and then asked the other students on the bus near her, ‘Dosen’t she look beautiful?’”
In 2013, personnel records show Clayton was removed from the classroom for about a week. A former Douglas Anderson student said it was because of how Clayton was touching students to instruct them on their singing technique. A letter from Clayton’s attorney at the time says, “Mr. Clayton explained that he must sometimes use physical direction with his students...”
In Clayton’s performance reviews, there are notes about him making inappropriate comments to students and not keeping a professional distance from them. A comment from his 2010 evaluation reads, “Though Clayton has improved in maintaining a greater professional distance from his students, he is encouraged to work on this area.”
Brad Gibson, who is an attorney representing the student Clayton is accused of touching and kissing at his school office, provided a text exchange that appears to show Clayton knew he was at risk of being arrested.
One message says, “Nothing is truly deleted… The easiest thing, even if they don’t see what was written is the vast number of messages and FaceTime at odd hours.”
Clayton purportedly texted, “Just so you understand why I’m texting you. Though I’m not giving up or giving in, I realize if this situation gets to where our phones are investigated… These messages won’t matter.”
The response was, “I’m not sure I understand.”
The thread continues: “It means if they take our phones, it won’t be tonight’s messages that get us in trouble. It will be all the other ones that came before.”
Clayton’s personnel file shows he was reprimanded in 2006 for conducting a private lesson with a student in his office during a teacher workday.
In 2009, he received a letter from the Department of Professional Standards, directing him to “refrain from any unprofessional actions or behaviors in the future.” It warned if he didn’t, he would face serious disciplinary action that could result in his termination.
The letter said he had been offering advice concerning a student’s eating disorder, even though he wasn’t qualified to; closing the door of his office during student/teacher meetings; inviting the student to lunch, suggesting they might want to work out at his gym; and pulling them out of classes to check on their progress.
In response to these new revelations, School Board Chairwoman Dr. Kelly Coker released the following statement:
“As chair of this school board, I’m appalled to know that district leadership was aware of this teacher’s behavior as recently as 2021. While we have begun the process of hiring external legal counsel to investigate the Clayton incident, I am convening a meeting of the school board for next week. We are the officials entrusted by parents, voters, and taxpayers to take care of children, and I have every confidence that this board will take the actions it needs to take to accomplish that goal.”