In this high-stakes episode of Iowa Pulse, we go on the record and in the know regarding a volatile special school board meeting in Atlantic, Iowa, that has rocked the community.

The episode unpacks a raw, 40-minute audio recording from February 4, 2026, where the Atlantic Community School District Board of Directors made the stunning legal move to refuse the resignation of high school counselor Jesse McCann. While the public clamored for his immediate exit, the board’s strategic refusal allows for a formal investigation into disturbing allegations of student "grooming," inappropriate physical boundaries, and predatory text messages.

Inside this deep dive:

• The Legal Strategy: Why "accepting" a resignation is often viewed by the public as "passing the trash," allowing bad actors to keep their licenses and move to new districts.

• A Decade of Silence: The moment a courageous victim stood up to reveal similar allegations against McCann from 10 years ago in the Stewart and West Central Valley areas.

• Leadership Under Fire: The community’s growing fury toward Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnson, including allegations of mandatory reporter failure and claims that she dismissed previous warnings as "students just flirting."

This is a gritty, grounded look at the collision between legal due process and a community’s moral imperative to protect its children.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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