Nicholls State professor resigns amid accusations of harassment, clown fetish

A Nicholls State University assistant professor has resigned amid an investigation into sexual harassment allegations linking him to a clown fetish he may have imposed on students.

According to Jerad David, director of communications for Nicholls, geography Professor Joseph Tokosh quit Monday.

A Title IX investigation by the university into multiple accusations of sexual harassment involving face painting is underway. Tokosh has been a teacher at the school since October 2021.

According to reporting by Nicholls Worth Managing Editor Sally-Anne Torres, six students told of how Tokosh would give them bonus points for allowing him to paint their faces. The Nicholls Worth is the campus newspaper.

Bradley Price is a Nicholls online student who was part of Tokosh's Geography of East Asia class where one of the required assignments was for the student to photograph themselves getting their face painted in the style of a historically Japanese theme.

"You had to send in multiple pictures of how you did it from multiple angles and also write down the process of it," said Bradley Price. "The relevancy he gave it was that it was a Japanese style of makeup; it was for students to get a better understanding of their culture."

Price had a female friend paint his face for him. Once the assignment was complete Tokosh commented on the assignment that Price would receive bonus points if he convinced his female friend to paint her own face.

At the time, Price said he thought the comment was just weird, but since learning about the claims against Tokosh and seeing his social media accounts, the comment took on a darker tone.

"I feel frankly disgusted and disappointed that Nicholls couldn't do a proper background check on this professor because this is unacceptable," said Price. "How could this have got past any reasonable check?"

Jaiden Valore said just before Tokosh left the school he told his Geography 103 class that the "grade inflation task force" was cracking down on him because his students' grades were too high. He and other students were discussing Tokosh on Yik Yak and then they stumbled onto his Reddit page.

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Tokosh's Reddit account, which he hasn't posted under in three years, contains clown-themed images and videos. He has videos of young girls of undetermined ages wearing clown makeup, videos of him hitting young girls with Boston Cream pies, and images and videos of himself in clown makeup.

"And I was like, 'Bro that's wild,'" Jaiden said. "I'm low-key sick to my stomach about it."

In three different posts, Tokosh describes himself as having both a clown and a face painting fetish.

"I told my introductory-level college class that I've always had a strange liking for clowns. Some students said if they came to my office as clowns would I give them bonus points," wrote Tokosh in sub-reddit r/trashy four years ago. "Thinking it was a joke I said yes. So today this student shows up. I wonder if she knows this is actually my fetish…"

Nicholls Director of Compliance Tommy Ponson is spearheading the investigation. Even though Tokosh resigned, the investigation is moving forward and if criminal findings are uncovered, Tokosh could face charges, Ponson said.

He could not comment on the ongoing investigation, but said once the investigation is complete there would be a hearing to review the findings. The panel will be composed of faculty, staff and students. The panel sends its recommendations to the university's vice president.

Ponson said if any student had a problem with a professor they should go to the department head to report it. If the department head isn't helpful, he or she should next go to the dean of the college.

Tokosh's classes have been taken over by Department Head Paul Wilson and an adjunct professor. Nicholls State Communications Director Jerad David encouraged those made uncomfortable by Tokosh to contact the counseling center, which offers virtual and in-person appointments at (985) 448-4080 or counseling@nicholls.edu.

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This article originally appeared on Daily Comet: Nicholls professor resigns amid harassment, clown fetish accusations