(Facebook.com)
Kenosha, Wis. – A former substitute teacher at Kenosha Unified School District’s Bradford High School was charged today with 14 counts of Sexual Misconduct by School Staff. He was also charged with three felony counts of Expose Child to Harmful Descriptions. If convicted, 32-year-old Alex R. Poyner faces nearly 60 years in prison.
Poyner had previously been under scrutiny by the Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) and was allowed to resign rather than be fired last year after discussing inappropriate sexual topics with students.
(Facebook.com)
Investigation and Charges
According to the criminal complaint, on October 28, 2024, Kenosha Police Officer La’ Ryan Johnson, the school resource officer at Bradford High School, was alerted by an assistant principal about concerning messages received by a 15-year-old student, identified as Student X. The messages were sent via Instagram from Poyner, who had been a substitute teacher at Bradford High School from October 2020 until April 2024.
Student X reported that Poyner began messaging him at the start of 2024 after he inquired about the teacher’s departure from the school. The messages allegedly contained inappropriate sexual content, references to pop culture figures accused of abuse, and discussions of explicit acts. Concerned about the nature of the communication, Student X ceased responding to Poyner, prompting school officials to escalate the matter to law enforcement.
The Kenosha Police detective assigned to the case, discovered that Poyner had also worked as a substitute teacher at West Allis-West Milwaukee and Nicolet Union High Schools. During the investigation, it was revealed that Poyner had been placed on administrative leave at West Allis-West on October 20, 2024, due to allegations of misconduct. He resigned from that position on October 29, 2024, before the internal investigation concluded. Records also confirmed that Poyner had worked briefly at Nicolet High School in September 2024.
A review of Poyner’s Instagram messages revealed sexually suggestive and explicit language directed at the student. Messages contained references to illicit relationships, adult content, and discussions that law enforcement classified as predatory in nature. In one exchange, Poyner allegedly referenced engaging in inappropriate acts with students once they turned 18 and discussed specific sexual preferences and activities.
Admission and Arrest Warrant
On November 11, 2024, the detective contacted Poyner, who admitted that his communication with Student X may have been inappropriate. While he described their conversations as “dancing around the line,” he denied any intention of engaging in physical misconduct. He claimed to use “dark humor” to relate to students and cheer them up. Despite his attempts to downplay the messages, law enforcement determined that the conversations warranted criminal charges.
As of now, a $50,000 arrest warrant has been issued for Poyner. Authorities are urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
Previous Warnings from School Officials
Internal documents reveal that Poyner had previously received warnings from school administrators regarding inappropriate discussions with students.
In an email dated December 6, 2023, then-principal Brian Geiger reprimanded Poyner for discussing his personal life with students, specifically stating that comments such as, “I like big Black dudes” were unacceptable. Poyner responded by acknowledging his mistake and promising to improve his professional conduct.
However, additional complaints surfaced in April 2024, leading to further warnings from school officials regarding his failure to follow lesson plans. On April 17, 2024, Poyner was again warned by Principal Geiger about concerns from both students and staff. Two days later, an email from KUSD Human Resources confirmed Poyner’s resignation after he expressed disinterest in continuing his employment.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more details emerge.
22 Responses
Another KUSD personnel success story. And the hits just keep on coming.
OK SHUT THIS SHIT DOWN
KUSD is fertile ground for the Pedophile Community to openly recruit their victims.
What is the ratio of actual incidents to those reported? 1 out of 10.
These sexual predator deviants are running wild while the Administration waters it all down.
We need another $115 million, taxpayers! Ignore the misconduct we allow, its for the children!
Why do schools allow bad teachers to resign instead of being fired? All they are doing is letting troubled teachers move to another district and start doing it all over?
It is bureaucratic BS that comes with working for government.
You kidding me?
Are under the impression that you can fire someone charged with a crime? The judicial system tells us you are innocent until proven guilty. Maybe they should go your way though and just fire em all and use your hard earned tax dollars on the lawsuits they get filed with and lose for breaking the law.
Give more money to KUSD!!!
Them sunglasses look like what a woman would wear. What a freak!
Who keeps letting them in? Kids are going to be frightened to go to school….
This vote for more money was for lawsuits! Jesus
Hmm wonder why the referendum failed? Because we are tired of paying the board to let perverts and child predators just resign so they can move on to the next district to prey on other unassuming children. Neir needs to step down for ALLOWING these scumbags to resign over and over again. It is more or less saying it’s ok no hard feelings move along. Washington middle school has a 3 time felon drug dealer for a teacher, and endless perverts everywhere else. Hmm yet we wonder why nobody wants to bail out the district for their poor financial choices, they don’t even fire child predators or felons, instead they employ them and lock them in buildings and room with our children. This district is dysfunctional, sivk down right twisted. The board isn’t much better than whom they employ clearly. Birds of a feather flock together after all. Sad that it’s always KENOSHA in the the news for misconduct within our schools, it’s as though there is a new report daily. Maybe it’s time to replace the ENTIRE board because they clearly see no issues with this conduct because if they did then they wouldn’t allow the perverts to step away quietly or felons to remain in the class room. Children do NOT need those kind of people as examples or role models and they certainly do not deserve the trust of our children. Repulsive and disgraceful that’s what this district has become.
I can’t believe some of these comments. You cannot fire someone charged with a crime. You can only do it when convicted. They are doing the what they can to get them out.
If I get a DuI charge my employer can’t fire me. If I get convicted and go to jail they can. If I was found not guilty I could sue them.
They just need more money.
Kusd is pathetic and have no clue what jokes are nowadays and most likely the student once again just got all angry at him and decided ha you getting fired smh pathetic
How does a school district or an any employer know if someone is a pedo unless they were previously convicted? Some visionary mindreaders are on this thread. It’s a larger problem than in just schools and our police are doing a great job finding these d bags.
free him
i should’ve seen this one coming ngl
In custody
What happened to background checks? How does the district miss all of this stuff. I also think it’s time for KUSD to do social media reviews prior to hiring. Oh yeah…that costs money they would rather spend on administrative salaries.
This is the American #chool system.