ACPS: Newberry football coach misused booster club funds

A misuse of booster club funds led to Newberry High School football coach Ed Johnson’s dismissal earlier this month, according to the school district.

Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) released information to the public this week regarding the incident that led to Johnson’s dismissal as the Panthers coach before his reinstatement on March 6.

“Someone from the booster club contacted the principal and said that [Johnson] had inappropriately used booster club funds to pay his personal cell phone bill,” ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said in an interview.

NHS principal James Sheppard then contacted the school district and Ed Johnson was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

“Principals are in charge of their school’s athletic programs, so [Sheppard] removed him from his football coaching position, but he was retained as a P.E. teacher,” Jackie Johnson said.

Parents came out in support of the coach, who has led the Panthers’ football program for the past five seasons, and gathered nearly 1,300 signatures to have him reinstated.

According to Sheppard, who spoke with Mainstreet sports director Mike Ridaught on March 8, Johnson was never fired.

“We are excited and delighted as a school, as an administrative staff, and as a community to have Coach Johnson back at Newberry,” Sheppard told Ridaught. “He was a student here, he is a resident here, and now is a teacher here. So this is good for Newberry High School, and being the principal, I’m thankful to have him back at the helm as the head coach.”

Ed Johnson received a written reprimand and mandatory training, according to Jackie Johnson.

In his five seasons as the Newberry’s coach, Johnson has led the Panthers to a 37-18 record and the state playoffs five times. He was hired in 2019 following Newberry’s 1-9 season in 2018.