Celina ISD has named a new athletic director Monday after former head coach and athletic director Bill Elliott retired last month amid controversy over allegations against his son Caleb Elliott.
Brent Whitson, who will be formally presented as the district’s new athletic director at Monday’s school board meeting, starts his new role next month, according to a press release from the district.
Whitson was the athletic director and head football coach at Denison High School in Grayson County before accepting the job in Celina.
The new athletic director’s top priority is emphasizing student success, Whitson said in the press release.
“Job One is taking care of students and giving them every opportunity to achieve excellence,” he said. “The Celina Bobcats have a proud history and a bright future, and I am humbled by the opportunity to lead this tremendous staff of coaches moving forward.”
A heavily redacted report from an independent investigator released in January found “systemic issues and/or failures” in the Celina ISD athletics department and Moore Middle School. Several families are suing the district and former Moore Middle School eighth grade football coach Caleb Elliott over allegations that Elliott recorded students undressing in the boys locker room.
Attorneys for the alleged victims’ families say the district tried to cover up the abuse to protect the reputation of the high school football team. Bill Elliott, Caleb Elliott’s father, led the team to win the state championship in 2024.
Bill Elliott retired as Celina ISD’s athletic director and high school football coach days before the redacted report was released. Moore Middle School principal Allison Ginn also resigned shortly before the report was published.
The report revealed that Caleb Elliott may have received special treatment during his hiring process but found no evidence the district had prior knowledge of Elliott’s misconduct.
The report addresses several allegations listed in the lawsuits, including accusations that a staff member confronted Caleb Elliott about previous attempts to record students in the locker room. No witnesses reported hearing about the allegation while Caleb Elliott was still employed.
Texas State Rep. Mitch Little, who represents 17 of the families that are suing Celina ISD, told KERA when the report was released that the district is more focused on protecting its reputation than the children it serves. Little wrote the law that allows school districts to be held liable for employees’ sexual misconduct.
“You would think if they were prioritizing the children that they would have at least tried to speak to some of them, have their so-called independent investigator speak to them,” Little said. “But I guess that wasn't important enough to do. They're way more concerned with image management and trying to isolate the harm to Caleb Elliott.”
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
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