A Plano principal fired for failing to report sexual misconduct allegations appears to be challenging the district’s decision to terminate her contract for cause.
Brinker Elementary Principal Jennifer King was placed on administrative leave in July after she was accused of failing to report allegations that 2nd-grade teacher Paul Campbell was sexually abusing female students in his classroom.
On August 13, Plano Independent School District trustees voted unanimously to send King a notice of contract termination “for good cause,” as recommended by the administration.
Under state law, King had 15 days to file a request with the Texas education commissioner for an administrative hearing to appeal the board’s decision.
If King did not challenge the decision, the board would have taken a second vote to finalize the firing.
Instead, during a school board meeting on September 8, trustees consulted in closed session with legal counsel regarding King’s “termination and hearing.”
According to the agenda, trustees also consulted with legal counsel about the implementation of Senate Bill 571, an educator misconduct reporting law that took effect in June 2025, and discussed pending litigation with the board’s attorney.
A lawsuit filed in July against Plano ISD, Campbell, and King alleges the principal failed to report a parent’s allegation that the teacher had inappropriately touched a female student.
The lawsuit also alleges another parent requested her child be transferred out of Campbell’s class, but King denied the request and failed to investigate further.
King’s failures allowed Campbell to continue abusing 8-year-old girls in his classroom, the lawsuit claims.
The Fortenberry Firm is representing one of those students and her parents as plaintiffs in the civil case.
Plano ISD, Campbell, and King have all filed general denials of the family’s claims. The district, represented by the law firm Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, also asserted governmental immunity.
King has not been charged with a crime, but the Plano Police Department confirmed to Texas Scorecard that it is investigating a July 9 referral received from CPS.
In Texas, all adults are mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse. School officials face criminal charges if they fail to report alleged abuse within a specific time frame.
Failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The offense is a state jail felony if a principal or superintendent fails to report with intent to conceal the abuse.
Plano ISD reported King to the Texas Education Agency on July 9. TEA told Scorecard that “following a preliminary review,” the agency flagged her certification on August 18 and listed her on the Do Not Hire Registry as “under investigation.”
Campbell remains in the Collin County Jail with bond set at $2.5 million for the four felony child sex abuse charges filed against him.
Texas Scorecard maintains a map of known educator sexual misconduct arrests.
