November 26, 2025
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Cooper High custodian charged in restroom peeping

Hennepin County prosecutors charged John Ezekiel Brown, 51, of Brooklyn Center with felony interference with the privacy of a minor after a 15-year-old reported he looked over a bathroom stall at Cooper High School in New Hope on Oct. 28. Surveillance video reviewed by New Hope police shows Brown entering the restroom before the student and remaining inside for nearly three minutes; the student ran out after seeing him, and the principal notified families, noting he was a temp-service custodian, not a district employee.

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📌 Key Facts

  • Defendant: John Ezekiel Brown, 51, of Brooklyn Center; charge: felony interference with the privacy of a minor.
  • Alleged incident: Oct. 28 at Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope; 15-year-old reported Brown peered over the stall.
  • Police evidence: Surveillance shows Brown entering before the student and not exiting for nearly three minutes; principal issued a statement to families.

📊 Relevant Data

Approximately 9.6% of K-12 students in the United States experience some form of sexual misconduct from educators during their school years.

The Nature and Scope of Educator Misconduct in K-12 — PubMed

In sexual abuse cases, 55.1% of offenders sentenced were White, 15.2% Hispanic, 13.9% Black, 13.0% Native American, and 2.8% Other races.

Sexual Abuse | United States Sentencing Commission — United States Sentencing Commission

Robbinsdale Cooper Senior High School's student body is composed of 37.5% African American, 24.9% Hispanic, 17.5% White, 10.4% two or more races, and 9.0% Asian students.

Robbinsdale Cooper Senior High School — U.S. News & World Report

About 10% of students will experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate from high school.

Educator Sexual Misconduct Remains Prevalent in Schools — Psychology Today

📰 Sources (1)

High School custodian caught peeping female student in restroom: Charges
FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul by Nick.Longworth@fox.com (Nick Longworth) November 26, 2025