A North Texas wrestling coach at the center of a “pass the trash” controversy has resigned from Celina Independent School District.
Celina High School Principal John Burdett announced coach Neil Phillips’ resignation in an email sent late last week to wrestling parents.
Phillips was placed on leave from Celina ISD after an October 31 social media post revealed that nearby Melissa ISD had allowed the coach to quietly resign during the last school year amid misconduct allegations.
Phillips’ misconduct at Melissa ISD involved demonstrating the use of an artificial intelligence program in “sexy mode” and making sexually inappropriate comments. The comments and students’ reactions were recorded.
It’s not clear whether Melissa ISD failed to fully inform Celina ISD about Phillips’ alleged misconduct, or if Celina ISD did not find the information disqualifying.
Texas law requires school officials to report suspected cases of educator misconduct to the state, so that the educators are not unwittingly hired by other districts—known as “passing the trash.”
Celina ISD hired Phillips as a wrestling coach and teacher for the 2025-26 school year. Burdett previously stated that Phillips’ application had denied any prior investigations or resignation in lieu of non-renewal or termination, and that Phillips had a “clear” teaching certificate. Burdett said the district was investigating the matter.
On November 3, Melissa ISD Superintendent Keith Murphy acknowledged that officials there were made aware of Phillips’ classroom behavior in March but claimed they did not have access to all of the audio now circulating online.
Murphy stated that Melissa ISD took “appropriate employment action” and provided a “truthful and accurate reference to Celina ISD.” No reports were made to the Texas Education Agency or other authorities about Phillips’ conduct at the time.
Both districts stated they have now reported Phillips to the TEA/State Board for Educator Certification. As of November 11, Phillips’ teaching certificate is not shown as being under review by the state.
While the coach is no longer employed by either district, Melissa ISD sent an unsigned notice to parents and staff on Friday that it had launched an “independent third-party investigation” into its handling of Phillips “to ensure no failures were made on the part of a district employee and to review the policies and procedures related to references and reporting.”
A follow-up social media post about Phillips, made to the Transparency ISD site on Saturday, claims Phillips continued to work at Melissa ISD for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year in a non-academic position, despite Superintendent Murphy’s timeline showing Phillips resigned from Melissa ISD on March 9.
The new post also asserts that multiple Melissa parents previously shared audio of Phillips’ classroom misconduct that Murphy claims the district did not have until now.
“A third-party investigation is the correct action if, and only if, you have an entity committed to the truth over protecting their own reputation,” the post states, adding, “It is looking more and more as if it was Melissa ISD and Neil Phillips who lied to Celina ISD.”
In the biggest scandal currently rocking Celina ISD, now-former middle school coach Caleb Elliott was arrested for a third time late last week on a new charge related to his illicit locker room recording of undressed middle school students.
Elliott, the 26-year-old son of Athletic Director and celebrated Head Football Coach Bill Elliott, was arrested twice last month on charges of invasive visual recording and possession of child sexual abuse material. He was released each time on a $100,000 bond.
He was arrested again on November 7 on a charge of sexual performance by a child. Bond for the new charge was set at $350,000. As of November 11, Elliott remained in custody.
In the wake of the scandal, Caleb Elliott was allowed to resign last month in exchange for surrendering his teaching certificate. Bill Elliott was placed on paid administrative leave while authorities investigate his son’s alleged crimes and any administrators who may have enabled them by hushing up past predatory behavior. Moore Middle School Principal Allison Ginn is on leave as well.
Celina ISD has also been hit with two civil lawsuits over the scandal.
In separate incidents, three other Celina ISD teachers have been arrested in recent weeks. Two were charged with endangering students after allegedly being impaired in the classroom; both have disappeared from the district’s staff directory. A third was arrested for injuring another adult in an off-campus altercation; she has since resigned.
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