Aldine Independent School District employed a teacher for over two years despite active arrest warrants accusing him of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy, according to court records.
Derrick Banks, 39, was hired by Aldine ISD in August 2023 to teach agriculture science at Eisenhower High School. Two months later, on October 17, 2023, Houston police obtained warrants charging him with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14.
Yet Banks continued working on campus until his arrest in late October of this year, more than two years after the warrants were issued, according to Aldine ISD and court filings.
Investigators say the case stretches back years. Court records show Banks connected with the victim online in March 2021 while the boy was 13. The teen reportedly snuck out at night and went to Banks’ home, where the assault is alleged to have occurred. Records also indicate Banks kept the boy blindfolded after bringing him inside.
Houston police did not interview Banks until June 2022, more than a year after the alleged assault, and only after obtaining a warrant to collect his DNA. At the time, Banks was employed at Prairie View A&M University. Detectives say he declined to give a statement without an attorney.
Texas Education Agency records show Banks had previously worked in Aldine ISD as far back as 2011 and later lost his state certification in 2016 following disciplinary action. Details of that prior case are not available.
Despite the open criminal investigation, Aldine ISD hired Banks in 2023.
A district spokesman told reporters that Banks “passed all hiring protocols,” including a background check.
Aldine ISD is a District of Innovation, meaning the district adopted a local “innovation plan” under Texas Education Code Chapter 12A. That status exempts the district from several state requirements—including teacher certification rules—and allowed Aldine to hire Banks under a “local certificate” despite his state credentials having been revoked.
Since his credentials had been revoked, his 2023 employment relied solely on the district’s local certification authority. However, district officials have not explained how Banks remained employed for more than two years while there were active warrants out for his arrest or whether Aldine ISD conducts any ongoing background checks or status reviews after hiring.
Aldine ISD said it learned of Banks’ arrest through the Texas Department of Public Safety and immediately placed him on administrative leave. The district has not said whether he is still being paid. A TEA spokesman confirmed Banks is now on the statewide do-not-hire list while the agency conducts its own investigation.
“Aldine ISD is dedicated to cooperating with law enforcement and protecting the safety of all its students,” the district said in a statement.
Court records show Banks was released on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to return to court tomorrow. The district has not said whether it plans to terminate his employment.
Hundreds of Texas educators have been accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years. Thousands of educator misconduct reports have been submitted to the TEA since the agency began keeping organized records.
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