Courtney Capek claims her career was completely altered by the actions of another.

The Lakewood native returned to the school she graduated from, Green Mountain High School, in 2023 to begin her career teaching and establishing a new era for the school’s theater program.

Her dream job didn’t last long, though, with the district not renewing her contract just a few weeks after her ex-boyfriend, James Michael Chevrier, was arrested by the Lakewood Police Department on charges of sexual assault on a child.

“What was done to me is not OK. I’m tired of being quiet about it,” she told The Denver Gazette. “The district essentially used me as their scapegoat to say, ‘Hey, we did something’.”

‘Pure disgust’

Capek and Chevrier dated off and on between the end of 2023 and April 2025, just a month before he was arrested on charges of sexual assault on a child in a position of trust, possession of MDMA (ecstasy), possession with the intent to distribute ketamine and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

“It was one of the worst feelings I have ever felt. It was pure disgust. There was no way that my judgment was this far off,” she said, emphasizing that she had no clue of what had been done behind her back.

Chevrier — a former high school psychologist at Green Mountain High School, Bear Creek High School and Evergreen High School — was arrested by the LPD on May 13. 

Capek was placed on administrative leave on May 14, with the leave being considered “not disciplinary in nature and will remain in effect pending the outcome of the investigation,” according to a letter from Megan Madsen, the principal of Green Mountain High School.

Capek said she heard nothing for weeks.

On May 26, she saw that her name was on the list of potential contract non-renewals for the board of education to vote on May 29. She reached out to the board to reconsider. A fact-finding meeting was scheduled the day before the board’s vote.

“Nobody talked to anybody. It’s all just very, very curious to me as to why they didn’t follow a protocol. The only reason I was talked to is because I inquired,” Capek said, adding that there was “political expediency in the decision over a four-day span.”

In the notes of the fact-finding meeting, Capek admitted to have known Chevrier did drugs, also admitting to having taken MDMA with him, but said she never thought he would be “stupid enough to bring it to school or give it to kids.”

Kris Gleason, a human resources representative with the district, then asked Capek about a text communication between Capek and Chevrier on April 17.

In the conversation, Capek asked Chevrier why a student — later identified as the victim — was not in her class. Chevrier said he was meeting with her. He then said the student was pregnant and asked Capek where to get Plan B.

Capek, knowing that Chevrier had a close relationship with the student’s father and was being closely observed by the principal on a performance improvement plan, said she figured the situation was being handled professionally. She didn’t take the communication any further.

Two days after the meeting with HR, Capek’s contract was not renewed. The letter of notification was given to her by the district, along with two LPD officers, according to Capek.

The letter did not give reasoning, though Capek claimed the district told her it was because she “failed to report information” that compromised student safety.

Capek said she trusted the situation involving Plan B “was in the correct hands, being communicated to the correct people.”

The Denver Gazette reached out to the school district for a statement regarding Capek’s termination, but did not hear back by the time this story published.

On Capek’s final work evaluation, completed on April 1, the evaluator gave her “Meets standard” or “Exceeds standard” in all categories.

In an email between former board President Mary Parker and a teacher speaking up for Capek’s rehiring, Parker said the decision was a “very difficult one.”

“Our district has faced the most awful sexual misconduct incidents recently,” Parker wrote.

“I had no clue what that monster was doing,” Capek said. “Don’t put me in the same box as them.”

Eight in three years

By “them,” Capek referred to the six arrests or investigations regarding sexual assault on a child or related misconduct in Jefferson County Public Schools since the end of 2023 until Chevrier’s arrest in May.

As of March 2026, that number has risen to eight.

After his arrest, Capek said, she started to hear stories of why Chevrier was moved from the Cherry Creek School District to Evergreen High School to Green Mountain, including allegations similar to the reason he was arrested.

“They transferred him from school to school so he could be protected. They didn’t take any sort of accountability, as always,” she said of the district.

That allegation falls in a similar line to Patricio Illanes — a former Arvada Senior High School teacher — who was arrested on suspicion of 40 felony counts and 10 misdemeanor counts, including videotaping students.

An investigation by The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9NEWS, found that Jeffco hired him despite notes from other districts that he should not be hired in schools.

‘I just want to have my voice again’

Chevrier’s trial started on Jan 5. He was found guilty of five charges and will be sentenced on April 2. Capek testified against Chevrier during the trial and sent an impact statement to the judge, asking for a prison sentence.

As for teaching, Jeffco Public Schools barred her from getting rehired within the district.

The emotional turmoil of the situation has scared her away from the career.

“Those were my kids. I don’t have kids of my own. I never even got to say goodbye to them,” Capek said through tears. “I cannot put myself through that again. It was just too painful.”

Capek said legal counsel told her that suing the district for wrongful termination would cost more than what it was worth. She said she hopes the district makes drastic changes going forward to protect its students, something many have echoed since the string of arrests.

 “I went back to the district I graduated from to give back what it gave to me,” she said. “I just want to have my voice again. My reputation is slandered. I lost the one passion and dream I was working for.”