Oak Creek teacher, coach accused of inappropriate contact with student pleads not guilty
MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- An Oak Creek teacher and coach, accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a student, was in court Tuesday, October 24th for his preliminary hearing.
39-year-old Michael Jossie waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial. He has pleaded not guilty. A scheduling conference was set for November 1st.
Michael Jossie
Jossie taught special education at Oak Creek High School and served as the head basketball coach. He’s been described as a well-respected and popular teacher.
Jossie is facing two counts of second degree sexual assault of a child.
According to a criminal complaint, on Monday, October 9th, police said a female worker at the school unlocked a classroom. Inside, she discovered Jossie and a 15-year-old girl sitting on a counter with the girl’s shirt up, exposing the girl’s torso. Jossie was observed standing in front of the girl. The maintenance worker reported that when Jossie saw her enter the room, he “quickly pulled open a cabinet that was above his head and told the student to get her homework done.”
“The principal then went to the room and basically confronted the teacher and student at that point,” said Chief Steven Anderson, Oak Creek Police Department.
“We’re shocked and we’re sickened to learn that Oak Creek High School teacher Michael Jossie was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child,” said Superintendent Timothy Culver. “We’re shocked because the misconduct with which Mr. Jossie is charged is inconsistent with his reputation.”
Oak Creek High School
Prosecutors say the Jossie and the 15-year-old student had a close relationship for about a year. Jossie told police he realized his feelings for her when he took her to dinner at an expensive restaurant. Jossie stated to investigators he had, “more feelings than you are supposed to have as a teacher” for a student.
The complaint says the student told investigators they had sexual encounters 10 times. Jossie told investigators they had sex in August at the La Quinta in New Berlin, and in October. He said they had sex inside his classroom and office this fall, most recently on October 4th.
Michael Jossie
According to the criminal complaint, after one sexual encounter, Jossie told police he gave the student $70 to buy the morning after pill.
“This was a very well-respected coach, authoritative figure in our community. I think there’s a lot of parents and students who are in shock over this right now,” said Chief Anderson.
Jossie has been in the Oak Creek School District since 2010. He has been placed on unpaid leave, and the district will ask that he be fired.
The Milwaukee County charges are not all.
Oak Creek High School
After the police investigation discovered incidents at a hotel in New Berlin, police on October 12th picked up Jossie again and brought him to the Waukesha County jail for possible charges. This, after he posted his $25,000 bail in the Milwaukee County case.
The Oak Creek police chief has asked parents to speak with their children to see if any other child may have had an inappropriate relationship with Jossie, and if so to report it to police.