There are increasing calls for transparency, along with more threats of legal action, in the case of former Celina ISD teacher and coach Caleb Elliott.
The community is also grappling with the district’s decision to place Bill Elliott, the suspect’s father who is also the head football coach at Celina High School and the district’s athletic director, on ‘non-disciplinary’ paid leave.
Caleb Elliott, a former teacher and coach at Moore Middle School, is charged with invasive visual recording and possession or promotion of child pornography.
Celina Police arrested Elliott, 26, on Oct. 3.
The school district and administrators are facing increasing scrutiny as new details and allegations surface.
On Thursday morning, three attorneys, including Texas State Rep. Mitch Little, gathered in the lobby of the Collin County Courthouse for a press conference.
Little announced that he, along with attorneys Jack Walker and Quentin Brogdon, intends to file civil lawsuits on behalf of additional families impacted by Elliott’s crimes.
They are currently speaking with at least 12 families who have come forward, but stress they are in the ‘infancy’ of their investigation and there could be more alleged victims.
Elliott is accused of recording boys, partially or fully undressed, in a locker room at Moore Middle School on October 2, according to charging documents.
Some of the families they are speaking with have shared police detectives have informed them that there are between 36 and 38 boys captured on video or images, according to Brogdon and Walker.
A separate lawsuit has already been filed by three other families against the school district, claiming previous misconduct by Elliott when he worked at Celina High School.
The families, identified as “John Does” in a civil case filed in Collin County, say their children were among the victims who police say Caleb Elliott recorded in the Moore Middle School locker room, either partially or fully undressed.
Their lawsuit alleges the problems began more than two years ago when Elliott “began an improper (and unlawful) relationship with a then-senior of the high school…” and was moved to Moore as an 8th-grade coach and 6th-grade social studies teacher.
“I am horrified by what’s going on in Celina ISD,” said Little on Thursday. “I, like you, am horrified at the reports that Caleb Elliott was passed from school to school in the district. That he had attempted to place cameras at another school. That he was banned from the locker room.”
Little, Walker and Brogdon anticipate using Little’s own legislation, HB 4623, in their pending lawsuits.
The bill, which went into effect in September, no longer shields school districts in sexual misconduct cases by removing ‘sovereign immunity,’ explained Little.
“For years, we’ve attempted to hold school districts and administrators accountable for sex assaults and victimizing small children and up until now have been unable to do this because of sovereign immunity,” said Walker.
“Everyone wants to know what happened, who did it, and when it happened,” said Little. “We need to investigate whether Celina ISD grossly negligently or recklessly continued employing or failing to supervise Caleb Elliott in a way that caused harm to these children.”
Shortly after Elliott’s arrest, the district announced that a third-party attorney was looking into questions and concerns about what led to his alleged crimes.
Little also questions whether the third-party investigation is indeed an independent investigation and whether its findings will be released to the public.
The football-centric community of Celina is seemingly at odds over the suspected predator’s father, Bill Elliott, who is Celina ISD’s Athletic Director and the head football coach at Celina High School.
The school district placed Elliott Sr. on ‘non-disciplinary leave’ last Friday, after the third-party investigator cited concerns about whether his presence could compromise the ongoing investigation.
Elliott Sr. has been identified as someone directly or indirectly involved in the hiring and/or supervision of his son, Caleb, according to a Celina ISD press release.
The district also placed Allison Ginn, principal at Moore Middle School, on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
However, some are voicing their support for Bill Elliott.
An online petitionwith over 850 signatures, is calling on Celina ISD to ‘include Bill Elliott in Celina High School’s Senior Night’ pre-game activities this Friday.
“The brief, ceremonial appearance would not interfere with any ongoing administrative processes,” states the petition. “We feel strongly that these athletes should not be penalized any further for this unfortunate circumstance.“
NBC 5 asked the school district’s spokesperson for an update on the investigation and whether Elliott Sr. will be allowed to participate in Senior Night.
In an email late Thursday afternoon, Nancy Alvarez stated, “Due to the pending investigations and litigation, the District will not respond to individual requests for comments or statements.”
However, Alvarez shared a new statement from Celina ISD Superintendent Dr. Tom Maglisceau to parents on Thursday, where he announced Elliott Sr. will not be allowed to participate in Senior Night.
In his statement to parents, Maglisceau says Rep. Little’s “Demand for answers in his press conference today is not new. Celina ISD issued the same directive weeks ago. Immediately upon notice from law enforcement of the charges against Caleb Elliott, Celina ISD began prompt cooperation with Celina PD and initiated an independent third-party investigation. Ms. Ortiz, the third-party investigator, is neutral, independent, and does not have a conflict of interest in this matter. Ms. Ortiz is not an attorney that represents school districts and was specifically selected for her reputation of excellence in her representation of clients before school boards, administrative law judges, the Texas Education Agency, district courts, courts of appeal, and the Texas Supreme Court. The investigation conducted by Ms. Ortiz is specifically to ensure Texas law was complied with and, if not, to provide findings that would support appropriate action to hold individuals accountable if they were required to act and failed or refused to do so.“
… “Finally, District administration is aware of a petition circulating via social media asking the District to allow Coach Bill Elliott to participate in Friday’s Senior Night celebration. CISD has also received notice from parents and community members, including families with student-athletes at Moore Middle School, who have expressed concern that this might be allowed. Per District procedures, CISD employees who are placed on leave are prohibited from entering any facility within the District or attending any District functions/activities while on leave. Under these procedures, Bill Elliott will not be permitted to enter or attend Friday’s Senior Night celebration. Certainly we recognize the added disruption this additional matter has caused for our parents, community, and most importantly, our students.
During the morning press conference, attorney Brogdon called out the school district for failing one of its fundamental duties: protecting children entrusted to them.
“Instead of protecting those students, the district chose to protect itself,” said Brogdon. “Instead of protecting those vulnerable students, the district chose to protect coaches, it certainly appears. And instead of protecting those students, the district chose to protect its ability to go get another state football championship. Something’s very wrong with that picture. There needs to be accountability. Representative Little’s bill allows us now to go forward and that’s what we expect to be able to do.”
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