A former special education teacher at Forney Independent School District (ISD) has been arrested following allegations of child injury, revealing a troubling past under a different name. Jonathan Michael, previously known as Michael Roell, is facing multiple charges after reportedly engaging in violent behavior toward students earlier this year.
Details from an arrest affidavit indicate that Michael was involved in two separate incidents of physical aggression against students at Crosby Elementary School in January and February 2026. He was taken into custody on May 29 by the Texas Rangers, following his removal from the teaching position in April.
Michael has been charged with two counts of injury to a child as well as one count of child grooming. The affidavit outlines alarming accounts from staff, describing violent encounters where Michael allegedly grabbed a student’s arm, twisted their wrist, and executed an armbar takedown. In another instance, he reportedly yanked a child to the ground, nearly causing the student to hit his head on a table before pinning him down with his knee.
In light of these allegations, the principal of Crosby Elementary was also terminated from their position in April. Forney ISD had communicated to parents about the removal of an educator but did not disclose Michael’s identity at that time.
Prior to his tenure at Forney ISD, Michael was employed by Garland ISD, where he was arrested in 2016 for indecency with a child involving sexual contact during his time at Hudson Middle School. Although he was acquitted of the charges by a jury in Dallas County, he claimed that the accusations severely impacted his employability.
Forney City Councilman James Traylor expressed concerns regarding the hiring practices that allowed Michael to gain employment within the district. He reached out to the Texas Attorney General’s Office for an investigation, which redirected him to the Texas Education Agency. Traylor emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “We had a monster on the streets of Forney, and that’s not ok. Our kids deserve so much better than this.”
Currently, Jonathan Michael remains incarcerated in Kaufman County Jail as investigations continue into the allegations against him.
