North
By Eamon Baird
WEST MILTON — The Milton-Union Exempted Village School District Board of Education held a special board meeting Monday evening, on Oct. 9, to hold an executive session, as a crowd gathered to protest.
This meeting was held to go into an executive session for the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, compensation and investigation of charges or complaints against a person of an employee or official; conference with an attorney; and for confidential matters as required by federal law, regulations, or state statues.
No action was taken by the board when board members came back into the regular session.
Monday’s meeting was called after a lawsuit was filed on Sept. 29, 2023, against the Milton-Union Exempted Village School District Board of Education, Superintendent Brad Ritchey in his capacity as superintendent, according to court documents, and against Ritchey individually, as well as Jerry North, a former janitor employed with the Milton-Union School District.
On May 3, 2023, North was indicted on three counts of rape of a victim under the age of 10, all first-degree felonies, two counts of gross sexual imposition, both second-degree felonies, and one count of intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness in a criminal case, a third-degree felony, after alleged actions that occurred in boy’s restroom of Milton-Union Elementary School. These assaults allegedly occurred between Aug. 1, 2019, and May 31, 2021.
During North’s arraignment held on May 11, 2023, he entered a not guilty plea on all charges in the Miami County Court of Common Pleas.
According to the complaint filed by defendants John and Jane Doe on Sept. 29, Ritchey failed to properly investigate defendant North’s conduct or report his actions to the proper authorities.
A jury trial on these charges against North is scheduled to begin in the Common Pleas Court on Nov. 28, 2023, at 9 a.m.
Miami Valley Today reached out to the Milton-Union Exempted Village School District and Richey for comment but have yet to hear back.
The Milton-Union Exempted Village School District issued the following statement on the school district’s website:
“The Milton-Union Exempted Village School District is committed to the safety and best interests of every one of its students. We take that responsibility seriously, as we always have. All students should feel safe in our buildings every day, and we work hard to make sure that happens. Be assured that we are working with the authorities to ensure that every child feels safe coming to school and being in school.”
A special board of education meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. to again go into executive session to once again discuss the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, compensation and investigation of charges or complaints against a person of an employee or official; conference with an attorney; and for confidential matters as required by federal law, regulations, or state statues.
