Texas district settles lawsuit by parents over false child abuse allegations
A Texas school district has agreed to pay $125,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by parents who were falsely accused by a district employee of child abuse. The suit stems from a report the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (LCISD) employee filed with Children’s Protective Services (CPS) alleging that one of the children of Gary and Melissa Gates was being mistreated. They sued LCISD and several other government entities in federal district court, claiming several federal constitutional and state law violations. In addition to monetary payout, LCISD has also agreed to request that the Texas Commissioner of Education submit an agreed letter by the parties to the Texas Attorney General to clarify parental rights in regard to school districts and CPS investigations. In addition, LCISD Superintendent Thomas Randle will send a letter of regret to the Gates family. A press release by the family alleged that CPS removed one of the sons from school without a court order, without parental permission, and without an emergency, to be interviewed at the Fort Bend Child Advocacy Center. Later that day, it says, 11 CPS workers and law enforcement officials went to the Gates’ home "also without a court order, without consent and without exigent circumstances." Finally, that evening all 13 children were removed from their home, "with many hauled away in a Fort Bend County jail wagon." Although the suit also named Children’s Protective Services, Child Advocates of Fort Bend, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department, and the District Attorney’s Office as defendants, the court dismissed the other defendants on the basis of government immunity. Mr. Gates vows to appeal the dismissal to the U.S. Fifth Circuit.
Fort Bend Star
By Cheryl Skinner
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