A North Texas lawmaker has formally requested that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launch an independent investigation into Celina ISD’s handling of allegations involving a middle school coach accused of illegally recording male students in a locker room.
State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen, is raising concerns about whether district administrators or staff had actual or constructive knowledge of the alleged misconduct by coach Caleb Elliott.
Coach faces criminal charges
Elliott, the son of longtime and highly successful Celina football coach Bill Elliott, is facing charges of invasive visual recording and possession of child pornography. He is accused of having dozens of images of nude or partially nude students on his phone. He has since resigned and relinquished his teaching certification.
“The details of what reportedly transpired are shocking,” Leach said. “… As a policy maker, but even more so as a parent with children in public schools, I am disgusted and horrified.”
 At least three families have filed civil lawsuits, with more expected, according to Leach.
Elliott’s father, Bill, recently delivered an emotional public apology during a packed Celina ISD school board meeting. The case has sparked a firestorm of concern and outrage among parents. Â
Concerns over district response
In his letter to Paxton, Leach expressed concern that the district failed to act promptly to protect students and comply with Texas law.
While Celina ISD has launched its own internal investigation — a step Leach called commendable — he emphasized the need for a fully independent and external criminal investigation to ensure transparency and accountability.
Caleb Elliiot
Celina Police Department
Accountability beyond the perpetrator
“What remains unclear to me and which troubles me, as a policymaker and parent, more than anything is this: To what extent did Celina ISD administrators, coaches, and/or other individuals in positions of public trust have knowledge, either actual or constructive, of Mr. (Caleb) Elliott’s troubling behavior?” Leach said.Â
“And subsequently, to what extent did they fail to act promptly to fully comply with Texas law to protect the students under their care?”
Leach stressed the need for accountability not only for perpetrators but also for those who may have enabled or ignored misconduct. He also referenced recent legislative efforts to strengthen protections for children in Texas and underscored the importance of state-level oversight in cases involving public school districts.
CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.