Dallas ISD Caught “Passing The Trash”

Dallas Independent School District (DISD) has agreed to a $1 million federal civil settlement following allegations that district officials failed to properly report repeated sexual misconduct complaints against a former special education teacher who later worked in other Texas school districts.

Announced October 20 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the settlement requires Dallas ISD to strengthen student-safety procedures, review past misconduct allegations, and improve coordination with law enforcement. The case is part of Project Safe Schools, a federal initiative targeting failures to report educator misconduct and the practice known as “passing the trash,” in which educators accused of misconduct move between school districts without required disclosures.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Dallas ISD opened four investigations into former special education teacher Michael Roell, also known as Johnathan Michael, between July 2022 and April 2024. Roell was hired in July 2022 to teach at Peeler Elementary School.

Federal investigators allege that Dallas ISD failed to report the complaints to the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), despite receiving information that should have triggered mandatory reporting requirements under Texas law.

The district had previously rejected Roell’s application in 2021 because of his 2016 arrest in Garland involving an allegation of indecency with a minor who was one of his special-needs students. A jury acquitted Roell, and his arrest was subsequently expunged. When he later reapplied, the same criminal-history flags no longer appeared on his record.

During his subsequent employment, Dallas ISD received additional complaints from an anonymous complainant, a parent, and district administrators. Federal authorities contend that the allegations met the threshold for reporting under Texas law, regardless of the outcome of the district’s internal investigations.

After the fourth complaint, Dallas ISD placed Roell on leave and recommended terminating his contract. Instead, he was permitted to resign in April 2024 and was added to the district’s internal “Do Not Hire” list.

An internal do-not-hire list does not necessarily prevent an individual from obtaining employment elsewhere. Without required reports to state authorities, another district may lack access to information needed to make informed hiring decisions.

Under the agreement, Dallas ISD will pay a total of $1 million, consisting of a $145,000 federal penalty and $855,000 designated for district-wide student-safety reforms.

The required reforms include:

• Improved law enforcement coordination: The district must pursue formal agreements with local law enforcement agencies and the Texas Rangers to clarify reporting procedures and responsibilities.

• Expanded disclosures: Civil liability disclosure forms must be adopted for applicants, contractors, substitutes, and volunteers.

• Clearer reporting procedures: Schools must post child-abuse reporting notices, and administrators must use checklists to help ensure compliance.

• Mandatory training: Title IX decision-makers, human resources personnel, and investigators must receive annual training on SBEC reporting obligations and applicable Texas Education Code Chapter 22A requirements.

• Compliance audits: The district must document and audit compliance with personnel-training requirements.

• Review of past allegations: Dallas ISD must review every sexual misconduct allegation dating back to 2022 and provide the results to the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The investigation has prompted federal authorities to urge North Texas superintendents and school board presidents to examine their own districts’ practices and report potential violations. Project Safe Schools, launched by U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould in August 2026, seeks to address failures to report educator misconduct and prevent accused educators from moving between districts without appropriate disclosures.

Texas law establishes reporting requirements for educator misconduct. Senate Bill 571, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in June 2025, strengthened requirements involving educators, school employees, and service providers through Chapter 22A of the Texas Education Code.

The law reinforces that qualifying misconduct must be reported within applicable statutory timelines. An internal investigation or an employee’s resignation does not automatically eliminate a district’s reporting obligations.

The Texas Education Agency can investigate failures to report misconduct and pursue disciplinary action against educators and school officials when warranted. These requirements exist to ensure that information about potential abuse reaches the appropriate authorities and that other schools can make informed employment decisions.

Parents deserve confidence that concerns involving their children will be handled appropriately, and that administrative procedures will never become an obstacle to protecting students.