Parents of children enrolled at a Pasadena Head Start facility are demanding answers after local police confirmed an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct involving young students and two teachers.
Pasadena police said an investigation is underway but that they are limited in what they can disclose because of the ages of the children involved. The classroom at the center of the allegations serves 3- and 4-year-old students. Police said the teachers involved have not been charged with a crime.
Several parents say they were not directly notified by the school when the investigation began and instead learned of the situation through indirect means.
One parent, Alexa Smith, said her first indication that something was wrong came in the form of a letter from Child Protective Services dated December 9. According to Smith, the letter stated that children at the center had been interviewed and that there were no immediate signs of abuse, but it did not explain why CPS had become involved or what prompted the interviews.
“I didn’t know why we were getting these or where they were coming from,” Smith stated. She added that the notice did not mention any allegations or concerns involving the school.
Smith said she later learned through conversations with other parents that alleged inappropriate conduct may have occurred in a specific classroom. Family members of two siblings, ages 3 and 4, told KPRC 2 that the children disclosed suspected misconduct to their mother. Parents say those allegations circulated among families before the school issued any clear explanation.
According to Smith, she did not receive direct communication from the school about the situation until this past Monday, days after CPS letters had already been sent.
In a statement to parents, the Gulf Coast Community Services Association, which oversees the Pasadena Head Start program, confirmed that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has opened an investigation into allegations involving two teachers employed by the organization. The statement said the investigation stemmed from a complaint made to law enforcement.
“Please know that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” the organization said, adding that both teachers were removed from the classroom and placed on indefinite administrative leave.
The association said it is cooperating with state authorities and acknowledged that it is limited in the information it can share publicly while the investigation remains ongoing. “We are doing everything possible to address this situation with the seriousness it deserves,” the statement said. The organization also confirmed that the matter has been reported to the federal Office of Head Start.
CPS confirmed that it is involved in the investigation but declined to provide additional details. Pasadena police similarly said the case remains under review and emphasized that no criminal charges have been filed. Parents say the lack of timely and direct communication has only intensified concerns. “I want them to be held accountable, and I feel like this should have been handled a completely different way,” Smith said.
Authorities have asked families with information or concerns to contact CPS through its designated reporting channels while the investigation continues. Officials have not provided a timeline for when the case may be resolved.
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