SMITHFIELD – In a special called meeting Thursday afternoon, the Johnston County Public School Board voted to censure board member Ronald Johnson for inappropriate text messages he made about a female school employee. This is the second time, Mr. Johnson has been censured by the school board.
During a May 2019 board meeting, Johnson and then school board attorney Jimmy Lawrence exchanged text messages about the desirability of a female school employee.
Johnson: She’s wearing the hell out of that blue dress
Lawrence: I’m glad you haven’t lost your “vision”
Johnson: I’m feeling a relationship
Lawrence: Is that all?
Johnson: I’m ready right now
Lawrence: You stay on ready
Johnson claimed the text messages were a lapse of judgment and sought out the employee after the meeting to apologize. He said the female was a friend and the text was a “running joke” for a long time. He claimed he was in the presence of the female 10 or 20 times and the text was a point of discussion in 2019 or 2020 and even showed her the text messages, he contends.
The text messages were aired on a Facebook Live webcast called “The Dave and Joe Show” on August 8, 2022. The employee stated she did not see the text messages until they aired on the webcast. Afterwards, she made a complaint to board chair Todd Sutton.
According to the report, the female was present during the April and May 2019 school board meetings and was wearing a purple dress at the May meeting. Mr. Johnson said he did not recall who was the subject of the May text string, according to the report conducted by the Tharrington Smith law firm.
The day after the text messages were aired on the August 8, 2022 Facebook Live webcast, the school employee initiated a text message exchange with Johnson.
Employee: So the texts in the infamous Facebook live last night are what you told me about/apologized for a while ago…?
Johnson: Yes
Johnson: Jimmy Lawrence text thread
Employee: Of course I hadn’t read them until now
Johnson: I’m sorry (REDACTED), these people are after me pretty hard
During Thursday’s meeting, board member Lyn Andrews said, “This is sad. This is sad that we’ve got board members talking about a relationship, whose out there in the audience. If that’s not going against everything the citizens of Johnston County have placed us in this seat for, I don’t know what is. How in the world can employees in Johnston County Public Schools feel safe to come into this room and to present their expertise in their areas and wonder what’s going around this horseshoe. I don’t even have words for it.”
Vice Chair Terri Sessoms said she agreed with Andrews, adding, “In this role, we are role models for children. We are role models for employees. We are role models within this community and that is why we are held to such high standards in terms of public trust laws. This is not the kind of behavior that we want our children to grow up thinking is okay. This is not the kinds of behavior we want our employees to participate in as they are working with our students. What has been modeled here would be extreme, I mean just totally inappropriate and wrong for our employees to exercise. If one of our employees was doing this kind of thing about a student or a colleague, we’re talking about serious serious damage here to someone’s professional career, as well as what we hope to engender within our community.”
Chairman Sutton then stated, “When I heard this… I couldn’t imagine what this individual was going through. I have an 18 year-old daughter at home and I tried to put her in that same position of that podium right there, and thinking of somebody saying that to her, how I feel, how would she feel. There is no place for this type of text. I’m embarrassed for Johnston County Public Schools. I’m embarrassed for our employees that have to continue to see us come in this boardroom and special sessions when we don’t need to be here. We’ve heard it. We don’t want to be here either. I don’t get the pleasure of having to call these types of meetings. It’s not something I look forward to when I wake up every morning. But this right here is embarrassing. There’s no place for it in this boardroom or anywhere else in society we should be talking like this. It’s sickening.”
Board member Al Byrd said he hoped it was a lapse of judgment and called on Johnson to apologize to students and employees.
Johnson replied, “Obviously, I will certainly think on that. You know obviously that I’ve got legal counsel and you know I want to do the right thing and that’s why I sought out that young lady and to give an informal apology. I appreciate your words Mr. Byrd. I appreciate your tone and I thank you for that.”
CLICK HERE TO READ THE INVESTIGATIVE SUMMARY AND VIEW THE TEXT MESSAGES
Afterwards, board member Kay Carroll voted to censure Johnson for violations of Board Policy 2120. The policy violations alleged in the censure were for failing to uphold the integrity of the office; avoiding improprieties of official duties; modeling civility to students, employees, and the community; and taking private action that would compromise the integrity of the board or administration.
Mike Wooten seconded the motion to censure, which passed 6-to-1. Johnson voted against the censure.
The board took a brief recess for their legal counsel, attorney Rod Malone, to prepare the Censure Resolution. When the meeting resumed, the Resolution was read. Vice Chair Sessoms made a motion to adopt the resolution. Wooten seconded the motion, which was approved 6-to-1. Johnson again voted no.
Lyn Andrews then made a motion to send the Censure Resolution and the findings of the investigative report to the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office. Wooten seconded the motion, which was approved 6-to-1. Johnson voted no.
In August 2022, the school board voted 6-to-1 to Censure Mr. Johnson for admitting to recording board members approximately 10 times since January 2022, and for attempting to interfere in a student assignment, according to a separate investigative report. The board sent the Censure and a copy of the investigative report to the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office.
Johnson was elected to the board of education in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. He has two years remaining on his term.
Johnson is also a detective with the Smithfield Police Department where he was suspended from his position in July 2022 following an internal investigation. Smithfield Police have not commented on the investigation, which, at last report was still ongoing.
The RonJon sh*tshow rolls on….
The Honorable Ronald Johnson will still be on this school board long after the other six members are a distance and faded memory of once being thought of as fake pillar’s of the community. The other six board members will be forever remembered for thier schemes of trying to backdoor $180,000.00 to our old school superintendent Dr. Parker for just presenting the school bond needing hundreds of millions of dollars and to convince you parents and taxpayers to vote for it this November the 8th. These other six board members will never be able to erase the embarrassment of losing 8 million dollars and ignoring the calls for a forensic audit. Then last and not least these other six board members will forever be remembered for supporting the NCAE or the teachers union over the parents and paying these teachers union teachers while they stayed at home and refused to come to work and educate your kids and getting those bonuses for doing so.
Parents and taxpayers vote for the hundreds of millions of dollars school bond so the teachers union JCPS can hire those professional drag queens to read those questionable books to your young innocent children. Keep in mind the question of why do you think that the Honorable Ronald Johnson received more votes than any of these other six board members that just can’t be successful at removing him?
Now that is funny. You have not one clue of what you speak.
The same “honorable” RonJon who was (still?) Under investigation by the Smithfield PD for inappropriate behaviors? The same “honorable” RonJon who publicly announce his resignation, then the next day reneged? The same “honorable” RonJon who swore an oath when he took his seat on the BOE to uphold the rules of the board, then blatantly chose to ignore the the parts about recordings? I guess “honorable” means something different to you. I’m not saying the rest of the board is any better, but JoCo parents have a history of re-electing the same folks again and again. This sh*tshow will continue to roll on …
Columbo wearing the heck out of his “dunce hat” in the time out corner lmao
“How in the world can employees in Johnston County Public Schools feel safe to come into this room and to present their expertise in their areas and wonder what’s going around this horseshoe.”
Only the Lord and Kay Carroll know what Lyn has said about us behind our backs. I don’t come into that room to feel “safe”, I come in to be heard. Johnson may have good eyes, but the Board seems to have deaf ears.
Still defending the indefensible I see. Johnson is not fit to serve the public in any way.
Defend the indefensible? Me? No sir, that’s Wiley Nickel’s profession.
But you are defending Johnson. And that is indefensible.
Well it seems we have our own little DOJ in joco targeting political opponents. They just had a principal arrested for stalking, a teacher for having sex with students and they are getting in a twist about text messages.
Question. Are you defending Johnson with whataboutisms?
All the while, a County Commissioner is charged with indecent liberties with a child-and nobody seems to care…
Who doesn’t care. It was on the news and on this site. What is your point?
Statement of she’s wearing that blue dress is more of a dishonorable issue than someone charged with indecent liberties of a child.
This school board talks from both sides of their mouth.
That person has nothing to do with the school board. Pay attention. Or are you just too stupid.
Still on the board too. Never in my life.
So, you are saying all those arrested were political opponents and falsely arrested?
Are you defending Johnson?
And what kind of dirt does he have on you for you to keep coming on here and defending this guy.
He should not be anywhere near the School Board or a gun and a badge as a police officer.
Furthermore, the office of legal counsel for JCPS has had its share of “ questionable “comments regarding female employees. Not the current one but one in the past.
So. Seems like the ramifications were that that person is no longer the counsel. I agree, Johnson should no longer be on the School Board. Glad we could come to this solution.
That person is no longer JCPS legal counsel. He’s also the person Johnson was texting.
Fire them all!!
Exactly
Report this to the news and suspend him !
The October Surprise from the school board. Is Garland helping them?
Raise your hand if you have ever sent a text you regret.. i’ll wait…
Many of us older folks learned long ago to actually THINK before we speak (or text, nowadays) — so there’s nothing to regret. Sadly, it appears that folks nowadays just open their mouths (or phones) without thinking.
ROLL MODELS 😳
Please NAME them Roll Models on this board 🤔😷
check her blue dress…….
I see what you did there…
A beautiful lady catching someone’s eye. Seems to me, more kindness would make the world a better place. Nothing rude, sexual or ugly was texted. Lawrence seemed to agree. Maybe all the board members need to open their closets for the publics consumption Wouldn’t that be a hoot !!!
He kept the rumors flying and throwing dirt on everyone in his sight. Now he is just getting the rollback from his own actions. I respect how he just sits there and takes it on the chin. Have you noticed how the crazy allegations stopped once he started being called out on the nonsense he has been doing?
They are all a bunch if **** **** who think they have power and money. RJ is a **** who became a cop to protect himself.
Seems some have a personal vendetta against RonJon. No mention about the conversation by the board leadership regarding millions in excess money that needed to be hidden from the commisioners and school office. Maybe the DA will look into this as well. Diversion to shift spotlight off themselves? Sad day in JoCo!
Sorry, but that was all over this site and the news. Maybe pay attention. And isn’t Ronnie still on leave from the PD dept for his actions in his actual job.
No need to change the subject. Johnson should not be in a position to serve the public. Well, maybe dog catcher.
Rocky Mount, you seem super sensitive at the mention of RonJon. Could this be a personal thing? My observation is, You take exception to any hint of support voiced for the one who has outed several apparent misgivings from the school board leadership. As a Johnston County resident, I happen to be more concerned with these apparent practices by the school board leadership. Just my opinion!
Nope. Never met the man. What exactly has this school board done that you are concerned with? And I take exception with support of this person because they are not a good person. Suspended from his real job as a police detective and his obvious agenda within the school board. Secretly recording an hour long meeting and then selectively editing the recording to fit his agenda. BTW, can you tell me what the law has done with the supposed hiding of millions of dollars? Oh yeah, nothing, because it was Johnson trying to help his political allies. He is not fit to serve the public.
Good example and he is a police officer too?
Might need to start helping others for once like picking up trash with the prisoners.
OMG!! He said a woman attractive in a dress!!!
I think Ronald Johnson will be second to only Steve Bizzell in securing enough of votes to become Johnston County Sheriff when Steve Bizzell finally retires from running for Sheriff.
Terry, how much crank do you fire up every day.
1. There is not a teachers’ “union” in this state. Never has been.
2. A cop (public servant) on “unpaid leave,” who won’t resign from his other public servant position?
3. CRT is the 1619 project. It is not in the NC Standard Course of study. I’m sure you know that since you are, and have been, a public high school history teacher for many decades now.
4. You still can’t spell, or write logically on anything meaningful, other than a meth lab explosion or bible flag salutes.
5. You’re probably that guy on the highway, with a middle finger for everyone; so angry at his lot in life, and too miserable to turn off OANN.
6. Please continue to shove Bo’ Time down your gullet.
😘💕🤘