'They failed': Magnolia ISD parents want district held responsible for teacher charged

MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) -- A former elementary school teacher in Magnolia ISD is facing one charge of having an inappropriate relationship with students.

But parents are telling ABC13 it should be more, as they've been warning the district about the teacher for years.

"She had told us, I'm one of the favorites," parent Tayla Craig said.

Tayla and Ryan Craig say their daughter had direct contact with former Magnolia ISD elementary school teacher Jason Maldonado.

"She had told me how he really loved hugs, and how when I asked her, 'Does he only hug you - who does he hug, oh, just the girls?" Craig said.

In May, Maldonado was arrested and charged with one count of improper relationship between an educator and student, for touching a different student.

The district told ABC13 at the time he was placed on leave in December of last year, after parent reports.

Court documents reveal that multiple students interviewed by investigators said he was "touchy" with students and even "took pictures of a student on the floor and would tell her how to pose."

The Craigs said they saw the alleged inappropriate behavior firsthand.

"He had an area underneath his desk, which the school has claimed as a cool down area, is what they're calling it. But I don't know any other teachers that put kids under their desk to cool down," Craig said.

Craig said she went to school administration back in 2024, and the attorneys involved said she wasn't the first one.

They gave ABC13 an email correspondence between a different parent and staff at the school - it shows staff wrote, "Nov. 17, 2023 is the day we spoke with you as well as your child was talked to and it was addressed."

In a response to Craig's family's formal complaint, the district acknowledged Craig met with the school principal at the time on "Oct. 30, 2024 - and she reported that Mr. Maldonado 'really likes hugs,' ...only hugged female students... had a mat under his desk for students to use ... and he allowed her to use his jacket."

The district goes on to say that at the time, an administrator observed the cool down area, but the district didn't believe his conduct was sexual in nature.

Attorneys involved that ABC13 spoke with say someone within the district should have taken action before Maldonado's leave in December 2025.

"We know that it started as early as 2022. The inappropriate conduct, the inappropriate touching, the inappropriate, just general attitude by this teacher, which your clients reported what they did," attorney Alex Gonzalez said.

ABC13 reached out to Magnolia ISD about the claims that the district knew about Maldonado's behavior before December 2025, they wouldn't answer our questions, saying they can't share personnel matters.

Attorneys said they will fight for someone to be held responsible.

"What we have here is a multiple-year failure. We know for certain that parents complained in 2022, but yet that teacher was still retained," said attorney Damian Williams. "We're being completely honest here. They're telling the parents that they should have done more, which in my mind is disgusting. And so accountability is going to look like it's going to be far more than an apology. Folks need to start losing their jobs."

Parents, adding, for their children, it's something that could impact them for years, and they want justice.

"I will make sure that these little girls' voices are heard because these little girls are the women of our community. And a part of their innocence was taken. And somebody needs to be held accountable," Craig said.