SAN MARCOS ISD
A six-year-old student at Travis Elementary made a stunning claim this week that her teacher had taken her and two other students out of school during class and brought them to her home. The child’s parent took this allegation to San Marcos Police and the school district before going public on social media on Wednesday causing an online uproar. However, by Wednesday afternoon investigations had been completed, proving the allegation false. That night, the parent said the child admitted the story was made up and she apologized to the teacher before removing the social media posts.
'I think this situation highlights the need for people to take a step back and pause without going to social media,” San Marcos CISD Superintendent Michael Cardona said. “The first instinct is to reply and castigate personnel without knowing all the facts. Social media has a place but when people react out of emotion and not logic, the effects can be devastating.
“No one blames a parent for advocating for their child, in fact, we encourage advocacy,” Cardona continued. “However, reacting irresponsibly led other community members to vilify Travis ES and staff.
“Now that we know it was a false accusation, will those community members stand up and apologize to the Travis staff for their slander? Resources were spent to investigate a false claim but who repairs the damage to that teacher who was falsely accused?
“San Marcos CISD handles all allegations seriously and in an equitable manner. We involve all appropriate authorities in every investigation. In the future, we ask parents to utilize the proper chan- nels to resolve conflict because together, we believe we can foster a more collaborative and effective environment.”
Editor’s Note: The name used by the parent on social media did not match the name given when speaking with the Daily Record on Wednesday and she did not return subsequent phone calls. The Daily Record has elected not to publish either of the names.
According to the parent, her six-year-old child came home from school this week and told her that the teacher had taken her and two other students from campus during school hours. The child allegedly said that they were brought to a dirty home with a crying baby. She described the home and the vehicle used in detail. She said the teacher then brought them back to school.
The parent stated she took the allegation to the San Marcos Police Department. She also posted about it on social media, which received hundreds of local responses. She then went to meet with the principal and recorded the conversation. That video was also posted on social media, gaining even more reaction from the public, many of which showed distrust of the school district and claimed conspiracies of a coverup. Many posts identified the teacher and shared information about her from the school’s online profile.
When the parent contacted the Daily Record, she said she did so because she felt the allegations weren’t being taken seriously. She fervently believed what her child said and was concerned about the danger of the alleged situation. By Wednesday afternoon, Travis Elementary Principal Scott Masini emailed parents.
“There was an accusation, circulating on social media, made against one of our Travis employees that has since been determined to be unfounded,” the email said. He went on to state that both SMCISD and SMPD had a “thorough review and investigation” and that it was “concluded that the accusation was false and the Travis employee has been fully cleared of any wrongdoing and continues to have our full support and confidence. As always, our commitment is to uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and respect for every member of our school community.”
“We recognize that situations like this can be unsettling, and we appreciate your understanding as we worked to resolve it in a fair and thorough manner,” Masini continued. “Please be assured that the well-being of our scholars and staff is our top priority, and we are taking steps to ensure that our school remains a safe, supportive, and affirming environment for everyone. Thank you for your trust, patience, and continued support.”
At the time the email was sent, the parent still believed the story her child had told her; however, later in the evening on Wednesday she sent a message to the teacher apologizing for the claim. The parent stated that the child now said that none of what was alleged was true after being questioned on changes in her story that evolved throughout the process. The parent also stated that she loves her child and was trying to do as much as she could to help her and make sure she was heard.
The parent did not return a phone call from the Daily Record after the allegation was retracted.
