Cypress Christian School Coach Charged With Grooming Minor

Jared Randall Barber, a former coach and secondary school teacher at Cypress Christian School in the Houston area, was indicted by a Georgia grand jury on August 18 on three criminal counts related to sexual communications with a former student. The charges include Grooming of a Minor, Criminal Attempt to Commit Grooming of a Minor, and Electronically Furnishing Obscene Material to Minors. Barber was terminated from his position at the school in April following reports of inappropriate communications with an underage former student.

According to the indictment, the alleged sexual communications occurred between July 2024 and April 2026 while Barber was employed at Cypress Christian School. The legal documents describe a pattern of communication via electronic devices intended to persuade and induce the minor to engage in sexual offenses. Specific allegations in the indictment include messages discussing the child’s body, masturbation, and penile erections, as well as the transmission of obscene material containing explicit verbal descriptions of sexual conduct.

Families of students at the school have expressed concern that Barber may have targeted male students for years while working at private schools in Texas and other states. These concerns are compounded by the fact that the coach changed jobs frequently and was not previously reported for such behavior. The community’s apprehension highlights the difficulty of identifying long-term patterns of misconduct when individuals move between institutions without a centralized reporting mechanism.

Cypress Christian School President Jeff Potts notified families on April 30 that Barber had been caught communicating with a minor who was a former student living out of the area. The school stated that the coach was immediately terminated upon discovery of the communications. On August 22, the school sent an unsigned update to families regarding the indictment, confirming that Barber has not been permitted on campus or at any school activity since his removal.

The school’s statement emphasized its ongoing cooperation with law enforcement in both Georgia and Texas. The administration noted that because the matter is an ongoing criminal investigation, the school would not speculate on the evidence or the outcome of the proceedings. This approach reflects a commitment to legal due process while acknowledging the severity of the allegations.

Parents were directed to contact Corlischa Badenhorst, the director of family and student care, if their child was affected by the news or would benefit from additional support. Badenhorst, who also operates a private counseling practice, serves on the CCS board. The provision of counseling resources underscores the institution’s responsibility to care for the emotional well-being of its students in the wake of such distressing events.

The case raises significant questions about governance and the protection of minors within educational settings. As the legal process unfolds, the focus remains on accountability and the safety of the student community. The pursuit of justice in matters involving the vulnerable calls for a standard of integrity that aligns with the biblical call to seek justice for the oppressed and to act with righteousness, as reflected in Micah 6:8.

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