Celina parents react after coach accused of secretly recording boys in the locker room: "He failed our kids"
Celina ISD parents packed an emergency school board meeting Thursday night after the arrest of middle school football coach and teacher Caleb Elliott, the son of longtime Celina head football coach Bill Elliott.
According to a newly obtained arrest warrant, investigators say the 26-year-old recorded several boys in the locker room during school hours. The warrant states that 12 photos were recovered from Elliott's phone — all described as meeting the criteria of child pornography and showing young boys in various states of dress and undress.
During the meeting, parents expressed outrage and heartbreak over the allegations.
"Caleb Elliott broke the trust of every child in that locker room when he sexually exploited our boys. He failed our kids," one parent said.
"We expect you, the school board, to be an advocate for these students," another parent added.
The case has drawn even more attention because of Elliott's family ties. His father, Bill Elliott, who has led Celina's football program for years, addressed the community publicly for the first time.
"My heart is broken all over. I'm sorry. I will do all I can to make sure that justice prevails and things are done right," he said.
Texas Rep. Jeff Leach also spoke out, saying state officials are monitoring the case closely.
"If there's anything that's been swept under the rug, if there's anything that's been hidden, if there's anyone that was hired that shouldn't have been hired, we're going to find out all of that," Leach said.
After a nearly 2-hour, closed-door session, the school board did not take any action, but urged the community to pray and expressed their continued cooperation with a third-party investigation.
Caleb Elliott has resigned from the district and faces two felony charges related to the alleged recordings.