Former Indianapolis teacher involved in classroom ‘fight club’ sentenced in criminal case

A former Indianapolis Public Schools teacher arrested for orchestrating a “fight club” classroom environment was sentenced to two years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to neglect of a dependent.  

The sentencing comes around three years after Julious Johnican was arrested for encouraging and recording videos of students, some as young as six years old, fighting or being beaten by other students at IPS George Washington Carver School 87. Some of these fights occurred among young, special needs children in the classroom.  

“Schools are supposed to be safe spaces where children can learn, grow and feel protected,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in an emailed statement, adding that Johnican abused the trust placed in him as an educator, and the sentence holds him accountable. 

One victim’s parent said her son had repeatedly reported abuse and violence in the classroom. But the parent didn’t realize it was true until a parent-teacher conference, when she saw a video Johnican recorded of her son being physically attacked by another student. Johnican encouraged the fighting rather than intervening, according to court documents.  

Another family said witnessing the violence has contributed to lasting fear and anxiety over school for their daughter.   

Johnican was sentenced in Marion County Superior Court after pleading guilty as part of a plea agreement. His attorneys declined to comment when reached by The Indiana Lawyer. 

While the criminal case against Johnican is complete, proceedings are ongoing in a civil case against him in federal court. In May 2025, a lawsuit was filed against Johnican and several others, including the Indianapolis Public Schools and the principal at Johnican’s school, for gross negligence, failure to report suspected abuse and deliberate indifference to the safety of a child with known vulnerabilities.  

According to the lawsuit, filed on behalf of another student’s parent, the parent met with Johnican on several occasions to talk about her daughter’s injuries. But Johnican indicated that the child was potentially saying things to get attention. The lawsuit was originally filed in Marion County before being moved to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. 

“The most troubling aspect of this case is that these were young children who depended upon adults to keep them safe,” Tammy Meyer, an attorney for the plaintiff in the federal civil case, said in a press release.  

“Instead of receiving protection, these children were exposed to violence, fear, and trauma in a place where they should have felt secure,” said attorney Catherine Michael, who also represents the plaintiff in the federal case. 

The criminal case is State of Indiana v. Julious Johnican, 49D25-2405-F6-015121. 

The civil case is Kiya Isom, Individually and As Parent of K.D., a minor v. The Board of School Commissioners for the City of Indianapolis, Mary Kapcoe, Finae Rent et al, 1:25-cv-00959-TWP-MG.