HOUSTON – Three Houston Independent School District teachers were arrested and charged with indecency with a child in little more than a week, stemming from incidents that were reported last year.
As news of the arrests came to light, KPRC 2 made multiple attempts to speak to school district officials, and on Tuesday evening, the school district released a statement about each case.
HISD did not say why it took one year from the time the reports were made, for charges to be filed.
Here’s what they said:
James Bradley, Foster Elementary School
Bradley, 39, was accused of touching a Kindergarten student inappropriately in January 2019. Bradley worked for HISD since 2006 as a pre-K and Kindergarten teacher, the district said.
At the time, Bradley taught at Foster Elementary School. In January 2019, a parent reported to school administration that her child told her that Bradley touched her inappropriately.
“HISD immediately re-assigned (Bradley) to home duty, pending the outcome of an investigation,” the school district wrote. He remained on home duty for the rest of the 2018-19 school year.
“The HISD internal investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations, and (Bradley) was assigned to (Lockhart Elementary School) for the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year,” district officials wrote. “After reviewing the information this school year, HISD Police Department contacted the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, who, after reviewing the information, accepted charges of Indecency with a Child.”
Bradley was arrested on Monday. Read more here.
Raymon Williams, Kashmere Gardens Elementary School
Williams, 46, was a teacher at Kashmere Gardens Elementary School during the 2018-19 school year and has worked with HISD since 2012, according to the school district.
“In January 2019 multiple students reported to the administration that Mr. Williams engaged in inappropriate touching,” the district wrote in Tuesday statement.
Williams was reassigned to home duty during the investigation. The district says he never returned to a classroom and is no longer employed by the district.
Charges were filed against Williams this week and he appeared in court Tuesday but paid a $100,000 bond and is no longer in custody. Read more about his case here.
Qamrul Haque, Cunningham Elementary School
Haque, 74, was a teacher at Cunningham Elementary School last year. Before that, the school district said he worked as a substitute teacher at the school and has worked with HISD since 1991.
“In January of 2019 multiple students reported to campus staff that Mr. Haque engaged in inappropriate touching, and other misconduct with students,” the district wrote. “(Haque) was removed from the campus immediately and exited from the HISD substitute pool following the completion of the district’s investigation."
Haque was charged Friday and has since paid bond and left custody. Read more about the case here.
Parents are asking for accountability
Now, parents are questioning how these cases were handled and what is being done to address the fact that three teachers have been accused of indecency with a child.