A woman who worked as a substitute teacher in the Tyler Independent School District for seven years continues to be assessed as not competent to stand trial on allegations she sexually abused an elementary school student.
Karen Lamae Dunn, 51, was arrested in May 2023 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, and improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony.
A Smith County grand jury indicted Dunn on both charges in August 2023. Dunn was later ruled incompetent to stand trial and has been in a state mental hospital since then.
On March 18, Judge Taylor Heaton of the 475th District Court in Smith County again found Dunn not competent to stand trial for her alleged crimes.
Attorneys for both the prosecution and the defense told the judge the state hospital was not helping Dunn, and Heaton agreed to send Dunn to outpatient treatment at the Andrews Behavioral Health clinic in Canton.
At the time of her arrest, Dunn was a substitute teacher for in-school suspension at Ramey Elementary in Tyler ISD.
Dunn had been a substitute teacher for the district since 2016.
According to an arrest affidavit, the student said Dunn had touched her inappropriately, then invited the girl to her house for a “girls party.” Dunn then gave the student a piece of paper with her address and phone number.
The student stated she told her regular teacher that Dunn talked to her about “stuff she does with her sister and boyfriend,” and if the girl went to the teacher’s house, “it would not hurt.”
Dunn allegedly denied touching the girl and said kids “lie on teachers all the time.”
School officials said Dunn was “immediately terminated” following her arrest and would “never be allowed back in the district.”
“Under no circumstances is that behavior tolerated at Tyler ISD,” stated Superintendent Marty Crawford.
Public education advocates have recommended improved pre-employment screening practices for educators, including psychological assessments.
Texas schools are experiencing an epidemic of educators engaging in physical and sexual abuse of students, trafficking in child sexual abuse material, and using illegal drugs.
It’s unclear if Dunn holds a Texas educator certificate. No certificate issued to any “Karen Dunn” has been flagged as “under review” by the Texas Education Agency, and Dunn is not listed on the Do Not Hire Registry.
Dunn is among hundreds of Texas school employees accused of sex crimes against students and other children in just the past few years, and thousands have been reported to the Texas Education Agency for sexual misconduct.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
