Another East Texas teacher is accused of raping a child.
Teris Michaelle Butler was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual assault of a child (statutory rape), a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison. The age of consent in Texas is 17.
Butler was booked into the Rusk County Jail on August 5 and released the same day on a $50,000 bond.
She was a teacher in the Henderson Independent School District when the allegations arose earlier this year but was later allowed to resign.
According to the district, the alleged assault occurred 12 years ago and did not involve a Henderson ISD student. Texas has no statute of limitations on sexual assault of a child.
Butler worked in Henderson ISD for nearly 12 years, starting in August 2014 as an aide, the district confirmed. She began teaching in the 2015-16 school year and was most recently listed as a 504 coordinator and teacher at Henderson Middle School. Butler’s husband, Drew Butler, was a Henderson ISD school board trustee from 2015 through 2023.
Henderson ISD released a statement Thursday saying the district was “aware of the arrest of a former employee” but did not identify Butler.
The district stated the alleged sexual assault reportedly occurred 12 years ago, before Butler worked at Henderson ISD.
According to the information provided to the district by law enforcement, the allegations did not involve Henderson ISD or any Henderson ISD student.
Earlier this year, Henderson ISD was informed by law enforcement of the allegations and cooperated fully with the investigation. Upon receiving that information, the district immediately placed the employee on administrative leave pending the investigation and made the required report to the Texas Education Agency in accordance with state law.
“Because this is an active criminal matter, the district cannot comment on matters that could interfere with the ongoing legal process. Henderson ISD remains committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students and will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement,” the statement concluded.
Butler’s LinkedIn page shows she previously taught in West Rusk ISD from December 2014-June 2015 and served as president of the Rusk County Child Welfare Board from August 2010-August 2012.
Online records show Butler also worked as a facilitator at Full Armor Christian Academy in Henderson in 2013-14. The Henderson News reported that the alleged sexual assault occurred during this time.
Butler has held a Texas teaching certificate since 2014, the year she received a teaching degree from LeTourneau University. Her certification is under review by the Texas Education Agency.
Texas Scorecard asked the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office for information about the allegations against Butler back in March. Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez sought permission from the attorney general’s office to withhold the information, citing an ongoing criminal investigation into a report of indecency with a child by exposure. Texas Scorecard has submitted an updated request.
Another female Henderson ISD teacher, Kathryn Prior, was sentenced to just 180 days in jail after pleading guilty in March to felony sexual misconduct with a male student.
Prior resigned from her job as a vocational agriculture education teacher at Henderson High School after she was arrested in December 2024 for exchanging sexually explicit messages and photos with the student via Instagram and touching him inappropriately while driving him home in her car.
East Texas teacher and coach Derek Peveto is facing 10 felony sex crime charges related to his alleged rape of a 16-year-old Hardin-Jefferson ISD student earlier this year.
In just the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other children, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for sexual misconduct.
The TEA’s Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard shows the agency is currently investigating more than 2,500 sexual misconduct complaints and opening an average of 250 new cases each month.
