The parents of an8- year-old girl are suing Plano ISD, saying the district failed to prevent longtime 2nd-grade teacher Paul Campbell from sexually abusing their daughter.
The suit, which also names Campbell and Brinker Elementary principal Jennifer King as defendants, claims the school knew about an earlier accusation against Campbell but didn’t report it to the state as required, didn’t investigate Campbell, or supervise his actions.
“Campbell was allowed to continue to teach at Brinker placing him in a position of authority over second-grade students as a teacher where he could have unfettered access to girls,” the Collin County suit reads.
The parents, listed as John and Jane Doe, say Campbell repeatedly sexually abused their daughter – listed as Janie Doe – when she was his student last year. They’re seeking $1 million in damages.
Campbell taught at Brinker Elementary for 28 years before he was arrested on July 8 and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, a first-degree felony. Police later filed three additional charges of indecency with a child, a second-degree felony, after more alleged victims stepped forward.
The Plano ISD school board voted unanimously after Campbell’s arrest to take steps to fire him. He remains at the Collin County Detention Center, records show.
The district said in a statement it “cannot comment on pending litigation or confidential personnel and student matters.” It called the alleged conduct “serious, unacceptable and wholly inconsistent with the standards and expectations of Plano ISD.”
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
