Paul Campbell was arrested and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a Plano ISD student at Brinker Elementary, according to Plano police.
PLANO, Texas — A longtime Plano ISD teacher was arrested Wednesday on a first-degree felony charge after an 8-year-old student reported being sexually abused, police said.
Officers arrested 64-year-old Paul Campbell, a second-grade teacher at Brinker Elementary School, on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child. Police say Campbell, a Dallas resident, had spent more than 25 years with the Plano Independent School District.
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Campbell was taken into custody as he arrived for a meeting at the Plano ISD administration building, pulling into the parking lot before being arrested on his way inside, according to Jerry Minton, a public information officer for the Plano Police Department.
Minton said the student made an outcry to family members on the morning of July 4. The family contacted Plano police, who immediately opened an investigation. Officers executed the arrest warrant four days later, on July 8. Investigators say the information the child provided has been corroborated.
Minton said he did not know when the abuse began, but that it happened sometime during the past school year and on more than one occasion. Explaining the charge, he said, “It means that it occurred over a period of time. It wasn’t just a one-time event; it was something that occurred multiple times.”
Plano ISD said it is aware of the arrest and is fully cooperating with police. In a statement, the district said, in part, “The alleged conduct is reprehensible and is completely inconsistent with the values and expectations we hold for all Plano ISD employees.”
District officials said they have also taken action regarding Campbell’s employment in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code and reported the case to the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification, as required by law.
Campbell was held in the Plano City Jail before being transferred to the Collin County Jail Thursday morning. The investigation remains ongoing and is being handled by the department’s Special Victims Unit, with detectives continuing to follow up as the case develops.
Out of respect for the student and family involved, and because the investigation is ongoing, the district said it will not release additional details.
Minton urged anyone with information to come forward. “It’s never too late to get hold of the police department,” he said. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Plano Police Special Victims Unit Tipline at 972-941-2044.