A West Texas teacher “recognized” by the state as “highly effective” was jailed after he was accused of sexually grooming a 14-year-old girl. Another now-former teacher from the area was sentenced to prison for child-grooming behavior with a student under the age of 14.
Scott David Strobel, 60, was arrested and charged with child grooming, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison.
Strobel is a teacher at Ropes Independent School District, but the alleged victim is not a student at the one-school district southwest of Lubbock.
The girl told police Strobel was her “band tutor” and was helping her learn to play a musical instrument, according to a report by EverythingLubbock.com.
She and her father reported to the Wolfforth Police Department that Strobel had sent the girl several inappropriate text messages.
One of the messages the 60-year-old teacher allegedly sent to the 14-year-old girl’s phone stated, “I’m not going to lie, I have thought about kissing you at times.”
During an interview with police, Strobel allegedly admitted he sent the messages to the victim and knew it was inappropriate, calling it “a stupid mistake.”
Strobel was arrested on March 15 and later released from jail on a $25,000 bond.
Local media confirmed that Strobel has since committed suicide.
Ropes ISD officials said they were notified of the allegations on March 14 and immediately placed Strobel on administrative leave pending the investigation. The district said there was “no indication” that any Ropes ISD students or campuses are involved in the case.
State records show Strobel was issued a lifetime teaching certificate for music in 1995. His certificate indicates Strobel is designated as a “recognized teacher”—a “distinction awarded to highly effective public school teachers,” according to the Texas Education Agency.
Another teacher in the area was sentenced last week for similar child grooming behavior involving a student younger than 14 years old.
Former Lubbock ISD teacher James Michael Tapley was sentenced to 10 years in prison for online solicitation of a minor and improper relationship between educator and student, both felonies.
Tapley, 31, taught at Irons Middle School. He was reported to police in November 2023 and found to have given the victim a cell phone and sent the student sexual social media messages and videos.
“The content of the messages and the progression of events also displays a significant amount of grooming behaviors,” authorities stated.
State records show Tapley was issued a one-year intern teaching certificate in August 2022, which has since expired.
Strobel and Tapley are among hundreds of Texas teachers accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years.
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