Nine more families have joined a lawsuit against Celina ISD over reports that a former teacher allegedly recorded students while they were changing in the boys locker room — and even more could follow.
The anonymous family members joined a lawsuit filed late October in a Collin County court against the school district and former eighth-grade football coach Caleb Elliott. The brings the total number of plaintiffs to 12.
The law firm has also set up an anonymous tip line for anyone who has information about what happened the locker room.
The lawsuits against Celina ISD are possible under a new state law that went into effect Sep. 1. It allows school districts to be held liable for sexual misconduct involving employees and students in civil court if it’s found they were grossly negligent or reckless in hiring, supervising or employing someone who commits sexual misconduct against a student or failed to report suspected child abuse.
Elliott, who taught at Moore Middle School, was arrested last month on suspicion of invasive photography and possession of child pornography. The lawsuit accuses the school district of moving Elliott to the middle school after he had an inappropriate relationship with a student while working on the high school football team coaching staff. His father, Bill Elliott, is head coach of the championship winning football team.
“There were people in the chain of command that knew the warning signs that Caleb Elliott was not to be trusted around schoolchildren,” said Paul Herz, the victims’ attorney.
The lawsuit alleges that Elliott set up cameras in the boys’ locker room last spring and accuses the district of banning Elliott from the boys’ locker room rather than reporting or firing him. It states that Elliott claimed the cameras were to deter theft,
Herz said Celina police say 38 students have been identified in photographs from Elliott’s phone, but there are likely more who have been impacted.
“People are calling me every day,” he said.
The school’s basketball team practice overlapped with the football team’s practice, meaning Elliott could have photographed or watched those students undressing as well, Herz said.
Another law firm filed a suit on behalf of three other victims’ families in late October. And attorneys who joined State Representative Mitch Little at a recent press conference about the allegations against the school district have said they’re in talks with families about filing more lawsuits.
Celina ISD has hired an independent investigator, according to a letter sent to parents shared with KERA.
“The District has demonstrated its commitment to aggressively pursuing resolution of the allegations and actions necessary for the well-being of our students,” Celina ISD superintendent Thomas Maglisceau said in the letter.
The independent investigator, attorney Giana Ortiz, has placed Moore Middle School principal Allison Ginn and Bill Elliott on administrative leave. Ginn and Elliott are accused of failing to report sexual misconduct allegations against Caleb Elliott in one of the lawsuits.
Bill Elliott said at a recent Celina ISD school board meeting that he loves his son, but his son will faces the consequences of his actions.
"One person is to blame for all of this, one person," Elliott said. "He made a bad decision, a bad choice, and he's in a dark, dark place. And he will serve the justice that will be served to him."
Attorney General Ken Paxton recently announced on social media his office is investigating the allegations against Elliott.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
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