Celina ISD athletic director and head football coach Bill Elliott, along with Moore Middle School principal Allison Ginn, announced their resignations on Wednesday amid criticism from parents and state lawmakers who argue they should not have been allowed to step down.

The moves follow the investigation into Elliott's son, Caleb Elliott, who was charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse involving boys in the district.

State Rep. Jeff Leach, who has advocated for the boys allegedly abused, went to X to post his criticism about Bill Elliott's resignation.

"Years of abuse and misconduct happened under his watch and the board is allowing him to resign instead of firing him," Leach posted. "Not just no, but hell no."

State Rep. Matt Shaheen and also questioned why Elliott was allowed to retire instead of being fired.

In an unsigned letter sent to Moore Middle School families, the district said it appreciated Ginn's work as principal.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve alongside such a passionate staff," Ginn said in the letter. "I wish the students and staff continued success and hope they see even greater achievements in the years ahead."

Of note, Ginn's children and several community members appeared at Monday's Celina ISD school board meeting to advocate for her being allowed to return to work. She stepped down two days later.

Coach Elliott's departure has drawn mixed reactions in Celina. 

Some community members expressed relief, while others said retirement was insufficient given the circumstances surrounding his family. 

For former Celina player and NFL lineman Jordan Roos, the news was difficult to process.

"I don't know where my specific football career would be if I didn't have him in my life," Roos said. "The amount of dedication and sacrifice he had, to all shape all the young men, is pretty amazing."

The updates on Wednesday followed the news on Tuesday as the school board released the results of a third-party investigation into the district's handling of the incident, in which they found no evidence that employees knew or ignored past misconduct allegations against the younger Elliott.

Caleb Elliott, a former coach and teacher at Moore Middle School, was arrested in October 2025 after allegations surfaced that he secretly recorded boys changing and coerced them to perform sexual acts. Investigators later found photos and videos on his phone. He is also accused of placing a recording device inside a locker room. The school board said a third‑party investigation found no evidence that the district had prior knowledge of any misconduct.

Since his son's arrest, Bill Elliott has been on paid, non-disciplinary leave. His departure also came just one day after the board released a summary of that investigation.

In October, he publicly apologized to the community during a school board meeting.

"I want you to know how sorry I am, and my family is," Bill Elliott said, as his voice broke. "I understand your anger. I understand your frustration. I get it — it's horrible." He also called for justice to be served in the case against his son. 

Celina ISD sent a letter to parents and staff announcing his retirement on Wednesday, sharing the following statement from Bill Elliott: "Over the past 33 years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to create lasting memories and build meaningful relationships that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I am deeply grateful to Celina ISD for the support and trust extended to me throughout my career, and I wish the district continued success in all its future endeavors." 

Families also received a letter on Wednesday morning confirming his departure.  

Retirement decision draws political scrutiny

The district shared its appreciation for Bill Elliott's service and his tenure. But several North Texas lawmakers sharply criticized the district's handling of his exit. 

State Rep. Mitch Little, who represents more than a dozen victims, said the timing was "not surprising at all," calling it "chapter one of the how to cover up a scandal handbook." 

Parents continue calls for accountability 

Families of several boys have filed lawsuits accusing Caleb Elliott of abusing students and alleging the district should have known about earlier warning signs. 

Celina ISD has said repeatedly that it was never informed of any concerns about Caleb Elliott before his arrest.

"It's been 108 days since we were notified that pictures of our boys were found on Caleb Elliott's phone," one parent told the board. "That's 108 days of not knowing who knew what and waiting for justice."  

However, the school board said after interviewing 39 witnesses, the independent investigator, Giana Ortiz, found no evidence that any district employee knew of, ignored or failed to report prior misconduct by Caleb Elliott. The investigation found no evidence supporting allegations of an improper relationship, locker‑room cameras, apology letters, a confrontation with staff or any reason he should have been reported to law enforcement. 

But Little said his clients were never contacted by the investigator, questioning the thoroughness of the review. 

"This investigator didn't even try," he said.  

"There needs to be a hard look at HR practices in this district," said a parent. 

Celina ISD says a redacted version of the full investigation report is expected to be released by the end of the week. Little says his clients feel betrayed and want the district to release the entire report unredacted.