Fort Bend ISD elementary teacher's arrest stems from 2009 Alvin ISD allegation, ABC13 has learned

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Fort Bend ISD elementary school teacher was arrested Thursday for an aggravated sexual assault of a child charge stemming from a case in another district, according to a statement.

Records show that Kimberly Masi was booked into the Brazoria County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Eyewitness News learned her arrest is tied to an alleged 2009 incident when she was a teacher in Alvin ISD, which confirmed that she had been under investigation since April 2022 when an allegation surfaced and Texas Education Agency was notified.

The teacher resigned from her position at Don Jeter Elementary soon after, according to AISD, but was able to get hired with Fort Bend ISD soon after.

"You want to be able to send your kids to school and trust the adult you're sending your child with. And they're spending most of their day with a potential offender?" an unidentified Fort Bend ISD parent told us.

Alvin ISD sent ABC13 a statement saying, in part:

"In April 2022, Alvin ISD Police Department received an anonymous tip regarding allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a child by an Alvin ISD teacher. Upon notification of the allegation, Alvin ISD Police Department launched an investigation, the teacher was immediately placed on leave, and later resigned from the district. Once the investigation was complete, Alvin ISD turned over all evidence to the Brazoria County District Attorney's office, as well as the Texas Education Agency Division of Educator Investigations."

For its part, Fort Bend ISD withheld their teacher's name but disclosed that she teaches at Leonetti Elementary School. It was her first year with FBISD. Masi's attorney added that she's a third-grade teacher.

"Fort Bend ISD police learned of the Brazoria County case shortly before the on-campus arrest and assisted the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department with the arrest. The district is alarmed and distressed by this disturbing allegation and stands ready to fully cooperate with Brazoria County's criminal investigation," an FBISD statement read, in part.

The teacher has been placed on administrative leave per district policy. The district is running a thorough investigation.

Eyewitness News asked Fort Bend ISD if it did a background check on Masi. A spokesperson said it did.

The district said it did a fingerprint background check and looked on the TEA's "Do Not Hire" registry. A spokesperson said the district was unaware of the Alvin ISD investigation when Masi was hired.

In addition, records reveal Masi has been certified to teach early childhood to fourth-grade students in Texas since May 2003. She's also certified to teach English as a second language to students up to sixth grade.

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