A mother whose child was recently revealed as a third victim of a Lorena pre-K teacher’s sexual abuse spoke publicly about the scandal for the first time, accusing embattled Lorena Primary School Principal April Jewell of ignoring her warnings as she brandished pictures of the teacher appearing to molest her daughter on a playground.
Amanda Gilmore said, “There’s a special place in Hell” for those who turned a blind eye to the abuse and that Jewell and others responsible “need to be fired.”
The mom shared her scathing comments during Monday night’s Lorena Independent School District board meeting.
Gilmore is the mother of the girl identified as “Student B” in the sex abuse lawsuit filed last year against the district and Jewell for failing to protect students from pre-K teacher Nicolas Crenshaw’s sexual molestation, despite multiple warnings.
An amended complaint filed in June revealed Gilmore’s daughter as a previously unknown victim of Crenshaw’s abuse. Gilmore’s comments Monday night affirmed statements in the court documents.
The mom told trustees she reported Crenshaw’s abuse of her daughter to Jewell and Stephanie Heslep, the teacher Crenshaw worked under at the primary school, in October 2020.
“And whoever wants to see these pictures of this little girl holding his erect penis, you can come see me, because this is despicable,” she said while showing copies of a photo.
And you need to be fired, and April Jewell needs to be fired. This whole committee needs to change. And if it was your kids or Jewell’s kid?
Oh, Miss Team Jewell? There’s a special place in Hell for you guys.
Despite Gilmore’s complaint, Jewell kept Crenshaw in the classroom.
Crenshaw went on to molest at least two more students in his pre-K class during the 2020-21 school year.
He was eventually caught and sentenced in 2023 to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to abusing the victim at the center of the lawsuit, identified as Jane Doe, and a classmate called “Student A” whose family has not spoken publicly.
Jewell kept her job as the Primary School principal.
Heslep is not a defendant in the lawsuit. She left Lorena ISD and is currently a kindergarten teacher at H.O. Whitehurst Elementary in Groesbeck ISD.
About a dozen more people spoke during Monday night’s packed school board meeting, which spilled into an adjacent room.
A few speakers defended Jewell and said they supported the school board members and their decisions.
Other parents continued to ask why Jewell remained in charge of the children during the pending lawsuit.
Many said they moved to Lorena for the schools, but allegations they learned about from the lawsuit—now substantiated by Gilmore—have shaken their confidence in the district.
“April Jewell should be immediately placed on leave,” Lorena ISD mom Allison Kelly told trustees. “The school board is choosing to protect one person—April Jewell—over the 200-plus students in her care.”
Kelly noted that the Primary School’s enrollment is declining with Jewell at the helm.
“By ignoring these concerns, the district sends a message that the well-being of students is secondary to protecting its own reputation,” she added.
Mom Rachel Eason told trustees, “I agree that trust between the board and the community is imperative.”
But we will never trust people who do not take action. We will never trust administrators who turn their backs on inappropriate behavior. We will never trust those who protect incompetence.
Eason added, “At this point, all of the court documents in this case are accessible to the public. Anyone in this room can go read them. If you have read these documents and you are still comfortable with April Jewell being responsible for any child’s safety, then you are willfully ignorant.”
An online folder created by Eason contains dozens of documents related to he sex abuse case.
“So many young parents shared raw painful testimonies before the board tonight,” Heidi Pezdek, a regular speaker at Lorena ISD meetings, observed on social media.
“The contrast of emotions between two citizen viewpoints was striking,” wrote Pezdek. “One group voiced frustration, pain, and urgency for justice while the others described words of praise equal to the Leopard cheerleader in support of Jewell and the board. Two polar opposite views. The exposed facts are the same.”
Several people at the meeting reported hearing people at the back of the room—including Primary School Counselor Sunnye Forrest—laughing during parents’ comments.
“The disrespect from some of the adults in that room was beyond disgusting!” mom Amy Veazey posted on social media. “Several were employees of Lorena Primary. They snickered at these parents speaking their concerns.”
After finishing most of their regular business, trustees went into a closed executive session to discuss personnel matters and consult with the outside attorney defending the district in the sex abuse lawsuit.
Several parents and a local news crew waited three hours to learn what action trustees might take afterward regarding Jewell or the lawsuit.
One of those parents, Lane Wakefield, told Texas Scorecard their long-term goal is not getting rid of Jewell but systemic reform that will hold school officials accountable for ensuring students’ safety.
Trustees reconvened after 11:00 p.m. and voted unanimously to “ratify the matter discussed in closed session” regarding the lawsuit.
A typed statement indicated Lorena ISD will continue to defend itself in court.
The district likely intends to appeal a ruling that denied its motion to dismiss the suit, as Jewell has done, which will further delay discovery in the case.
Meanwhile, Lorena ISD parents continue to speak out at school board meetings, to state officials, on social media, and in the community.
NOTE: Lorena ISD does not record its school board meetings. Local photographer Jon Goddi recorded a video of citizens’ comments, which are posted here (includes Amanda Gilmore’s testimony), here, here, and here.
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