Documents exclusively obtained by The Dallas Express indicate that Lake Worth Independent School District (LWISD) officials were limited in their actions after they first became aware of a potentially inappropriate relationship between a teacher and at least two students.
LWISD officials became aware that a coach was sending unprofessional messages to several high school students at all hours of the day and night at some point in the fall semester of 2024, but officials did not immediately inform the parents of the students. The dates on the more than 653 pages of text range from mid-September until a few days before Thanksgiving of that same year.
Some of the text messages included 1 AM text messages from the coach, stating: “I’ll probably call in on Monday f*ck school… oh yeah I need to talk to y’all about next year” and exclamations of surprise such as “holy f*ck.”
At other times, texts showed the coach establishing two students as his favorites, then treating them with special favors such as food and putting their photos in his classroom. He allegedly stirred up animosity between the favorites by buying matching shirts for himself and one of the students. In some instances, the teacher insisted that these students greet him before they enter or leave the school every day, and he expressed distress when he believed they were not acting as “friends.”
The communications do not depict overt sexual communications such as solicitation of nude images or plans to have a sexual encounter.
District officials were apparently aware of these communications at some point before a father of one of the involved children discovered the text messages around Thanksgiving and rang alarm bells with the district. A January 13 letter titled “Notice of Allegations” from Brent McClain, director of Human Resources, indicated the employee was put on paid administrative leave on December 2 for possibly violating “Board Policy DH (Legal, Local, and Exhibit), Board Policy FFH (Legal and Local), the employee handbook, and admonitions from your supervisors.”
However, a superior was not identified, and the date these admonitions were levied was not specified. Therefore, it remains unclear when the coach’s supervisors learned of his alleged misconduct.
The documents also do not clarify how far these admonitions made it up the chain of command or why the students’ parents were not informed earlier. T
he Dallas Express reached out to LWISD Superintendent Rose Mary Neshyba to learn more about the situation. She responded, “Due to the confidentiality of personnel information, I am unable to discuss the request.”
DX also reached out to Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Jeff Seeton, who replied, “We do not respond to confidential personnel matters.”
McClain’s January 13 letter also shows he believed some of the alleged behavior fell into a legal grey zone. “You should be aware that, at this time, the District administration has made the determination that the allegations as currently stated do not meet the regulatory definition of sexual harassment and so do not currently trigger Title IX. 20 USC Section 1681; 34 CFR Section 106.30(a).”
McClain added, “Further, the District administration has made the decision that the provisions of Texas Education Code Section 21.0061 have not yet been triggered. However, the District reserves the right to inform you of additional allegations should they arise and reserves the right to determine that either statute is triggered should further allegations arise. Nothing in this paragraph should be construed to mean that the allegations, if proven as currently stated, do not constitute professional misconduct.”
The notice detailed the exact offending behaviors in 10 bullet points.
These points ranged from “excessive texting with female students at inappropriate time” to “attempting to form inappropriate social relationships with female students” and “asking students to do things that are of detriment to them such as keeping secrets, leaving other teachers’ classes, asking for photos of students, [and] giving a student your credit card [among other alleged offenses.]”
Although McClain did not think federal or state law had been violated, the documents indicated that district officials took multiple disciplinary actions around Christmas. An Investigative Report says Neshyba reported the teacher to the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). “This report to SBEC may result in sanctions against your teaching certification,” the report read, although it does not indicate if the SBEC took action.
By February 3, the administration had cut ties with the teacher and terminated his employment.
DX could not immediately determine if this teacher has since found employment at another district.
Neshbya announced her retirement in late January. “During the January Lake Worth ISD Board Meeting, Superintendent Dr. Rose Mary Neshyba announced her upcoming retirement from public education, effective June 30, 2025. Over the past seven years, Dr. Neshyba has guided Lake Worth ISD with unwavering dedication to academic excellence and student achievement. Through her focus on instructional improvement, strategic planning, and advocacy, she has consistently prioritized the needs of the district’s students,” press release said.
Neshyba stated in the presser, “I am proud of our shared accomplishments and the continual focus on student needs and growth. It has been an honor to collaborate with our district leadership, who work tirelessly to serve our students with purpose and integrity. I am truly blessed to have worked alongside such dedicated educators, staff, and families… Our students deserve the best from each and every adult, and my wish is for every child to know they have the unwavering support of our school community and its leaders.”