CHANNELVIEW, Texas – Parents at Family Christian Academy in Channelview are speaking out after learning that an elementary school administrator has a troubling criminal history.
The administrator, also a graduate of the school, was convicted in 2009 for committing a lewd act in public.
Documents obtained by KPRC 2 from a Massachusetts district court confirm that the administrator was found guilty of a sex-related crime involving a jogger.
The court sentenced him to three years of probation and mandatory sex offender treatment, which ended in 2012.
Parents speak out
“It’s not very settling. It’s disturbing actually,” said one concerned parent.
Parents say the incident came to light only after they discovered an online article and began asking questions. Many now feel the school deliberately withheld vital information.
“He admitted that he had done this in multiple states. Where are those records?” another parent asked. “Were they with kids? Can you confirm or deny that? Because I cannot.”
The school’s response
The school says the administrator passed a standard seven-year background check when hired. Because the incident occurred more than 15 years ago, it did not appear in the background report.
In a statement, the school’s board said:
“The incident in question occurred long before the staff member’s employment with our school and was thoroughly and legally reviewed during our rigorous hiring process. The employee’s background check, conducted in accordance with state and federal regulations, returned clean, indicating no criminal history or concerns that would disqualify them from serving in our school community. After careful consideration, we determined that the incident which occurred over fifteen years ago did not warrant continuous public disclosure.
We are committed to transparency and open communication with our families while balancing respect for privacy and fairness. Our policies ensure that all staff members undergo comprehensive background checks and ongoing evaluations to maintain a safe and nurturing environment rooted in our Christian values.
Family Christian Academy has earned over fifty-six years of respect and trust in the surrounding community."
Notably, the administrator’s father sits on the board of directors and is also the pastor of the affiliated church. He reportedly informed staff members of the administrator’s past during a meeting in August 2024, months after the article resurfaced online in December 2023.
Parents want transparency
Many parents argue that the school should have disclosed the conviction upon hiring the administrator.
“I don’t want to have to go digging,” one parent said. “Do all private school parents need to investigate every administrator? I just feel betrayed.”
Limited oversight
When KPRC 2 reached out to the Private School Association, the response was clear: Private schools make their own hiring decisions and use their own guidelines.
The school’s hiring board currently includes the administrator, a relative, and two additional church members.
