GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. – Guilford County Schools Rehired Coach Mark Johnson Jr. even though the district knew about his history of sexual misconduct, according to a major new lawsuit filed this week. The civil complaint accuses the school system of putting students at risk and directly contributing to the alleged grooming, sexual assault, and rape of a teenage girl at Page High School.
The lawsuit, filed Friday, April 24, 2026, in Guilford County Superior Court, was brought by a former student identified as Jane Doe 4 through attorney Martin A. Ramey of CR Legal Team, LLP in Greensboro. Defendants include the Guilford County Board of Education and Page High School Principal Erik D. Naglee.
Guilford County Schools Rehired Coach Mark Johnson Jr. – Troubled Employment History
Court filings detail a troubling timeline for Mark Johnson Jr.
In the 2018-2019 school year, while employed in Guilford County Schools, Johnson faced a substantiated allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor student at a middle school. He was suspended and recommended for termination but resigned before the process concluded.
He later worked at a charter school in Winston-Salem, where the lawsuit alleges he sexually assaulted at least one additional student. Despite this background, Guilford County Schools rehired Johnson in August 2022 and assigned him to Page High School as a teacher and assistant basketball coach. The suit claims the district’s human resources team and principal failed to conduct proper reference checks or review his full disciplinary record.
Alleged Abuse at Page High School
According to the lawsuit, Johnson allegedly used his position as a coach to groom, isolate, and manipulate the 15-year-old plaintiff between August 2022 and March 2023. The acts are claimed to have occurred on school grounds, during school-sponsored activities, and while transporting students. The filing describes a pattern of predatory behavior, including inappropriate texting and exploitation of his authority.
Johnson resigned from the district in February 2023. He has been in custody since early 2023 facing multiple felony charges, including:
- Four counts of first-degree statutory rape
- Four counts of statutory sex offense
- Five counts of indecent liberties with children
- Two counts of indecent liberties with children by a school official
- Third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Solicitation of a child by computer
His total bond exceeds $3 million. Investigators reportedly discovered hundreds of student photographs on his phone during the criminal investigation. The lawsuit brings seven causes of action, including negligence, gross negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligent failure to train, Title IX violations, and breaches of the North Carolina Constitution.
The filing cites multiple prior incidents in the district since 2008, including cases resulting in criminal convictions and large settlements, to argue “deliberate institutional indifference” to student safety.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $25,000, attorney fees, and a permanent injunction forcing sweeping reforms to hiring, training, supervision, and misconduct investigation practices across Guilford County Schools.
