Carterville (Ill.) High School’s football coach of two decades, John J. Wakey, has been placed on administrative leave after the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Board of Education served subpoenas to the school district seeking disciplinary records of the coach and several students.
According to Capitol News, the sheriff’s office has opened an investigation into Wakey after accusations were made that he sexually abused at least one former student. However, law enforcement believe there may be multiple victims.
The Illinois State Board of Education, an agency that oversees misconduct by licensed teachers in the state, issued a subpoena that applies to Wakey’s personnel file as well as emails, text messages, interview notes, witness statements and internal investigation reports. Carterville Schools must provide the ISBE with that information by April 16.
Initial allegations against the coach were first made in November 2024, but due to a lack of evidence and the anonymous nature of the first tip, little action was taken toward the coach. A new statement by a former student was provided at the end of February that allowed law enforcement to begin their investigation.
Carterville Schools superintendent Sarah Barnstable said “the tip, as relayed to the district administrator in November 2024, was anonymous and unverified, and school officials did not have enough information to conduct their own investigation or file a report to DCFS.”
Carterville Schools have not yet released a statement on the investigation, but did confirm that Wakey was placed on administrative leave in late February and further action will be determined at this week’s school board meeting.
