FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – An elementary school teacher at Fort Bend Independent School District was arrested on campus Thursday after being accused of sexually assaulting a child in Brazoria County more than a decade ago, according to the district.
Kimberly Masi, a teacher at Leonetti Elementary School, was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.
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According to court records, the incident happened on Jan. 19, 2009.
Masi allegedly had sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy. It is unknown if the teen was one of Masi’s students at the time.
A tip allegedly brought the case forward years later. The teacher had already managed to get a job in another school district.
Fort Bend ISD police learned of the Brazoria County case shortly before the arrest and was assisted by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department.
FBISD said it was not aware of the charge against her and that all educators and staff members are required to complete fingerprinting and a background check.
The district said Masi, who joined FBISD in July 2022, has now been placed on administrative leave.
Fort Bend ISD released the following statement:
“The district is alarmed and distressed by this disturbing allegation and stands ready to fully cooperate with Brazoria County’s criminal investigation. FBISD will thoroughly review and investigate any potentially relevant information our community provides that may be related to the Brazoria case.
“According to district policy, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave.
“Fort Bend ISD remains committed to doing everything we possibly can to ensure the safety of all our students, and we will continue to take measures and make whatever adjustments are necessary for their well-being.”
Fort Bend ISD then released a follow up statement to KPRC 2:
“Masi began employment with FBISD in July 2022 for the 2022-23 school year. Of course, we were not aware of the charge against her. All FBISD educators and other staff members are required to complete fingerprinting and a background check.
The process for hiring teachers includes our review of their background in Department of Public Safety records as well as the Do Not Hire registry via the Texas Education Agency. In addition, our district reviews State Board for Educator Certification records to determine candidates’ status for campus assignments. And we check to see if there are any sanctions and/or investigation warnings on file. Lastly, the campus obtains references from previous supervisors.”