The Dallas Independent School District (DISD) has been ordered to pay $1 million to the U.S. Department of Justice due to its failure to report multiple child abuse investigations involving former special education teacher Michael Roell. This settlement comes in light of allegations that DISD neglected its duty to disclose four separate investigations concerning Roell’s misconduct involving minors.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybold announced that DISD did not comply with state law by failing to report Roell’s actions, which included accusations from a Boy Scout who claimed he was sexually abused during a camp in Athens, Texas. The scout reported that Roell had inappropriately touched him, believing he would not speak out due to fear of repercussions. This incident was one of four allegations that had been ignored by the district.
Raybold emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that DISD conducted four inquiries into Roell’s conduct over a three-year span but failed to document any of them to the Texas authorities. Despite the allegations, Roell left DISD in May 2024 without any public record of his misconduct, leaving him free to potentially harm students in future positions.
“DISD knew he was a problem, but they let him walk out the door to potentially prey on other students,” Raybold stated, criticizing the district’s actions as a classic example of the troubling practice known as “passing the trash.” He underscored that such issues are not isolated to North Texas but are a nationwide concern.
As part of the settlement, DISD has committed to involving law enforcement in future allegations of misconduct, reviewing all sexual misconduct claims dating back to 2022, and posting clear guidelines for reporting child abuse. Additionally, the district will provide the outcomes of these reviews to the Texas Education Agency.
In a communication to all North Texas school districts, Raybold urged immediate reporting of any unreported sexual misconduct allegations from the past five years.
The district has not yet provided comments regarding the federal investigation and the settlement agreement. Meanwhile, Roell, who legally changed his name to Johnathan Michael in 2025, faces severe legal repercussions, including federal charges related to child abuse and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Roell’s history includes his first arrest in 2016 while employed by Garland ISD on charges of indecency with a child, from which he was acquitted. Following a brief career in healthcare, he worked at DISD from 2022 until his resignation in 2024 after being placed on an internal “Do Not Hire” list. His subsequent employment with Forney ISD in 2025 was marred by his hidden past, as he had applied under a new name without disclosing any prior allegations.
Former Crosby Elementary School principal Wendy Bailey, who allegedly conspired with Roell by encouraging him to change his name, also faces scrutiny for her failure to report the abuse allegations made against him by staff members at the school. This led to a police investigation after a teacher’s aide bypassed the administration to alert a parent about the inappropriate behavior.
Both DISD and Forney ISD have reached settlements with the Justice Department, agreeing to pay fines and implement measures to ensure compliance with mandatory reporting laws. The ongoing developments highlight the critical need for accountability and transparency in educational institutions regarding the safety of students.
