Millsap Elementary principal recommended daughter for Weatherford ISD job amid child abuse probe
Millsap ISD teacher hired amidst abuse allegations
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MILLSAP, Texas - A North Texas school district says it was left in the dark when it hired an educator who was under investigation for child abuse.
Paxton Bean was one of two educators arrested for mistreating a boy with autism in a special needs classroom.
Another teacher and the superintendent were arrested and accused of covering it up.
Paxton Bean mugshot
A nearby district says it unknowingly hired Bean while she was under investigation and even checked with the Millsap Elementary principal, who is also her mother.
The backstory:
3 Millsap ISD educators arrested in abuse case
The Millsap ISD superintendent and two teachers have been arrested after a video surfaced showing an autistic child being hit and swung at in a classroom.
FOX 4 first broke the news after video surfaced showing two Millsap elementary educators reportedly mistreating Alex Cornelius inside a classroom, slapping at the autistic 10-year-old, yelling at him and throwing a toy at him.
The Parker County Sheriff’s Office investigation uncovered two more children had reportedly been abused.
The two educators seen in the video, Jennifer Dale and Paxton Bean, have been criminally charged.
Superintendent Mari Edie Martin was also arrested for an alleged cover-up, failing to report the allegations to law enforcement and CPS.
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Millsap officials confirmed to FOX 4 on Monday that Bean is the daughter of Millsap Elementary Principal Roxie Carter, who has not been criminally charged.
Millsap’s school board voted that night to hire an independent third party to investigate Carter, who is now on administrative leave. It also established a nepotism policy after community members voiced complaints.
Bean's New Job
What we know:
In the midst of the abuse allegations but prior to the arrests, FOX 4 found out that Bean got a new job.
According to court records, the classroom video was captured on Feb. 18 and reported to district leaders the next day. Bean and Dale were placed on leave that night.
Weatherford ISD says it hired Bean as an educator at Crockett Elementary.
Bean’s first day was on March 7, three days after allegations were reported to the sheriff’s office by Cornelius’ mother.
In an email to FOX 4, Weatherford ISD says it "followed our district hiring process that included a background check and positive reference checks with no mention of a criminal investigation."
Weatherford ISD says Principal Carter, Bean's mother, was one of those references.
Millsap principal is the mother of a charged educator
An investigation surrounding a disturbing video involving educators and a child with autism is underway. FOX 4 discovered that the principal of the Millsap ISD school, where the alleged mistreatment took place, is the mother of one of the educators.
What they're saying:
Rogge Dunn, an attorney not involved in this case, says there’s legal precedent mandating transparency from employment references.
"Once you started to recommend affirmatively, you have to disclose the good and the bad, not just the good," he said. "And if they intentionally did not report it as a cover-up, they’re liable for a jail felony."
Texas education code requires principals to notify superintendents of alleged abuse.
While Superintendent Martin is charged with failure to report, Principal Carter has not been charged.
What's next:
Weatherford ISD says Bean is no longer employed by its district. She was on the job for less than a week up until the day Cornelius’ mother publicly shared that video.
FOX 4 attempted to reach Carter, but we were unsuccessful.
The Source: Information in this article is provided by Weatherford ISD, the Parker County Sheriff's Office, court documents and previous FOX 4 reports.