Protection order granted against former Greenon teacher

Larry Yowler

Larry Yowler

A protection order filed against a former Greenon teacher was granted in Clark County court.

A protection order request filed against Larry Yowler was signed by Clark County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Capper and will last until Feb. 15, 2023, according to the court document.

Yowler was a longtime school teacher at Greenon Local Schools before he was accused by two students of sexual misconduct last year. Yowler’s attorney in a statement released last year denied all allegations and said Yowler was a top-notch teacher.

Yowler has not been charged with any crime in connection to the allegations.

A request for comment for this article to Yowler’s attorney, Samuel Petroff, was not answered by publication deadline. Requests for interviews with Yowler made by the Springfield News-Sun over the last year have also not been answered.

Yowler retired from the district in May 2018.

MORE: Second sex misconduct accusation filed against Indian Valley teacher

In this protection order request, a woman accused Yowler of misconduct with her daughter, who’s described as an older Indian Valley student who served as a teaching aide.

“Mr. Yowler has on multiple occasions hugged the minor child while grabbing minor child’s buttocks,” the protection order request says. “Mr. Yowler on multiple occasions has tried to physically force the minor child to sit on his lap.”

This protection order ruled on in Clark County Court was the second one filed against Yowler. No ruling has been issued in the first protection order request, according to the Clark County Common Pleas Clerk of Court’s Office.

Former Clark County Prosecutor Andy Wilson told the Springfield News-Sun last year that investigators were unable to collect enough evidence to charge Yowler with a crime, but that his actions in the classroom were “inappropriate, it’s bizarre, it’s strange and it’s disgusting,” Wilson said.

The protection order that was ruled on indicates it’s for a civil sexually oriented offense. A hearing took place on May 10 and the court made its findings on May 21, according to the court document.

“The court finds the testimony of the protected person, (the child) to be credible, notably as it relates to respondent hugging her, rubbing her shoulder and touching her buttocks in a manner that was not accidental,” the order says.

The court found that “the petitioner or petitioner’s family or household members are in danger of or have been a victim of a sexually oriented offense as defined (by Ohio law) committed by respondent.”

It orders Yowler to stay away from the victim and her family.

“Respondent shall not initiate or have any contact with the protected persons named in this order or their residences, businesses, places of employment, schools, day care centers or child care providers,” the order says.

The order also mandates Yowler return any property he might have belonging to the victim , and shall not cause or encourage any person to do any act prohibited by the order. It also requires Yowler to turn over all deadly weapons and conceal carry weapon licenses.

The protection order warns that if Yowler violates it, the action is punishable by imprisonment or a fine or both.


The Springfield News-Sun was the first to report accusations against a Greenon teacher and has provided updates for more than a year.

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