Fort Cavazos’ commanding general has referred an incident at Meadows Elementary School to U.S. Army investigators, just days after a district investigation into a coach at the school concluded with no criminal referral.
Concerned parents are speaking up.
Killeen Independent School District contains some schools that primarily serve the children of U.S. military personnel stationed at Fort Cavazos, with Meadows Elementary School being one of them.
The elementary school has turned into an epicenter of distress for military families after one of its physical education teachers, coach Travis Reaves, was accused of inappropriate conduct towards young girls at the school, including one as young as four years old.
Sarah Durrence and Destiny’ann Rochon are two parents who have publicly spoken out on the matter.
Durrence, a military police officer, has alleged that Reaves attempted to groom her four-year-old daughter by hugging her, calling her “his favorite little girl,” and even kissing her on the lips.
Rochon, meanwhile, accused Reaves of giving her 11-year-old daughter a picture of himself and hugging her daughter “from the front, [with] both arms, until she had to tell him to let go.”
“Before letting her [Rochon’s daughter] go [Reaves] told her he loved her,” wrote Rochon on her Facebook page.
Killeen ISD said they investigated at least one of the incidents and announced on February 28 that it concluded finding no evidence “to support criminal offenses.”
“This matter has been fully investigated by the Killeen ISD Investigations & Campus Safety Division, Child Protective Services, and Fort Cavazos Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) Law Enforcement Division,” stated Killeen ISD.
Several days later, on March 2, Fort Cavazos Commanding General Kevin D. Admiral posted on the official Fort Cavazos Facebook page that “a reported incident at Meadows Elementary School” was being investigated.
Texas Scorecard contacted Fort Cavazos’ media relations team to determine if the investigation led by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division Central Texas Field Office is in relation to Reaves and his alleged victims.
As of the time of publication, Fort Cavazos’ media relations team has not provided an answer.
Durrence and Rochon joined Perla Hopkins, a parental rights advocate based in Leander, at the Price of Liberty statue outside the Texas Capitol on Thursday for a press conference discussing the allegations against Reaves.
Rochon spoke to the importance of “addressing the growing threat of child predators who use manipulation in grooming tactics to gain access to the children.”
“’Grooming’ refers to the process in which predators gain a child’s trust over time, often presenting themselves as a friend or mentor, and slowly breaking down the barriers that protect the child,” said Rochon.
“Texas law must be enhanced to ensure that these tactics are specifically defined, making it easier to prosecute those who prey on children and … manipulate them into harmful situations,” she added.
Rochon then proposed a new initiative that would define grooming in legal terms and ensure that instances in which it occurs are “punished as severely as the actual abuse itself.”
In addition, Rochon said she is pushing for “mandatory training for teachers, church leaders, and other trusted adults to recognize the signs of grooming.”
“There must be a clear framework for reporting suspected grooming behaviors and laws that hold institutions accountable when they fail to act in the interest of children,” emphasized Rochon.
Durrence highlighted the lack of transparency she encountered when trying to work with Meadows Elementary School on the matter.
“When whistleblowers do speak up, they are often met with retaliation, silence, or excuses,” said Durrence. “Why do we punish those trying to protect our children instead of the predators who harm them?”
“Texas has laws that are meant to protect students, but they are full of loopholes that allow offenders to slip through the cracks,” she continued.
Schools are not required to report all allegations. Many predators are quietly transferred to another district instead of being fired or prosecuted. Educators accused of misconduct are often allowed to resign without a mark on their record, making it easy for them to get hired elsewhere. This must change.
Before the press conference, Durrence stated that Meadows Elementary did not provide her with information regarding its interview with Reaves during the investigation “until they reported to law enforcement.”
It was after that when she was informed coach Reaves had kissed her daughter on the lips.
Durrence called for mandatory background checks, including employee reporting and strict tracking of past employment history. She also stressed the need for mandatory security cameras in every hallway and classroom.
“School resource officers … should be required, especially in military-connected schools, … [to] be trained in identifying grooming and sexual assault warning signs. Every school employee should receive yearly training on recognizing grooming and abuse,” said Durrence.
“No more silent resignations,” she continued. “If an employee is accused of misconduct, their record must reflect a zero tolerance policy.”
Hopkins said she would meet with State Sen. Pete Flores (R-Pleasanton), whose district includes Fort Cavazos, regarding the allegations and to discuss a number of reforms needed to address the proliferation of grooming and sexual abuse in Texas schools.
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