Troubled Texas school district rocked by fourth arrest of teacher in recent weeks after special education employee showed up to class ‘impaired’
A troubled Texas school district has been rocked by a fourth arrest of a teacher in recent weeks after a special education employee was accused of showing up to class “impaired.”
Micheale Clark, a 46-year-old teacher’s aide from Celina Independent School District, was taken into police custody after local authorities received a call Tuesday afternoon that she “appeared to be impaired,” the Celina Police Department wrote in a news release.
Clark was taken to the Collin County jail and booked on a charge of endangering a disabled individual.
Clark is the fourth Celina ISD employee to be arrested recently.
On October 3, William Caleb Elliott, a 26-year-old teacher and coach from the school district, was arrested on a charge of invasive visual recording and booked into the Collin County Jail, the Celina Police Department announced at the time. Authorities later said Elliott was booked for a new offense of possession or promotion of child pornography.
Local outlet WFAA reported Elliott was a sixth-grade history teacher and eighth-grade coach at Moore Middle School. He had been placed on administrative leave indefinitely and then later resigned, WFAA reported.
A lawsuit brought on behalf of the families of Moore Middle School students against Elliott and Celina ISD claimed Elliott had been moved to the middle school after having an inappropriate relationship with a student while working at Celina High School, WFAA reported.
Elliott had taken videos and/or photos of student athletes in a locker room while working at the middle school, WFAA reported, citing an arrest warrant affidavit. The affidavit said the students were undressing or naked in the locker room while Elliott filmed them on a cellphone.
Celina ISD athletic director Bill Elliott, who is the father of William Caleb Elliott, and Allison Ginn, the principal of Moore Middle School, were placed on leave during the investigation into the teacher.
Bill Elliott said at a school board meeting following his son’s arrest, “I understand your anger. I understand your frustration. I get it. It’s horrible,” per WFAA. He will face the consequences that will come to him.”
On October 10, a 50-year-old paraprofessional with Celina ISD was arrested and accused of getting into an altercation with a man outside of school property, WFAA reported. Coates was booked into the Collin County jail on a charge of injury to a child/elderly/disabled individual.
The school district said Coates later resigned, per WFAA.
Last Thursday, another Moore Middle School teacher was arrested after she “appeared to be impaired” on the job, the Celina Police Department said.
Jainya Walder, 40, was taken to the Collin County jail and booked on a charge of Endangering a Child.
On Monday, Neil Phillips, a world geography teacher and head wrestling coach at Celina High School, was placed on administrative leave after the school district was informed about allegations of inappropriate conduct when he was working at nearby Melissa ISD, CBS Texas reported.
John Burdett, the principal of Celina High School, said in a letter to parents that Phillips’ employment application denied any prior investigations, being placed on leave with pay, or resignations in place of non-renewal or termination.
Burdett said Phillips was placed on leave as the matter is investigated.
Melissa ISD superintendent Keith Murphy said in a statement Monday, per CBS Texas, students reported concerns in March about Phillips’ conduct in class. Phillips resigned shortly after, per CBS Texas.
Murphy said administrators followed all state laws and guidelines during the investigation and took appropriate action based on the information they had.
When Celina ISD contacted Melissa High School in March, Murphy said administrators provided a truthful and accurate reference for Phillips.
The Independent has reached out to Celina ISD and Melissa ISD for comment. Information regarding legal representation of the district employees, either arrested or placed on leave, was not immediately clear.
