New lawsuit claims Plano ISD failed to act before alleged child sexual abuse

The lawsuit claims another parent reported inappropriate touching by Campbell months before the alleged abuse of the 8-year-old plaintiff.

The criminal case against former Plano ISD teacher Paul Campbell is expanding as a newly filed civil lawsuit broadens the focus beyond the former educator to include the school district and the principal of Brinker Elementary.

Since Campbell's arrest earlier this month, police have filed three additional felony charges of indecency with a child by sexual contact.

The civil lawsuit, filed by attorney Zeke Fortenberry on behalf of an 8-year-old student and her parents, names Campbell, Plano ISD and the principal of Brinker Elementary as defendants. The lawsuit alleges the district failed to act on earlier warning signs before the alleged abuse of the child during the last school year.

"This is about not just the perpetrator but about the institution that allowed it to occur," Fortenberry said.

The lawsuit claims another parent reported inappropriate touching by Campbell months before the alleged abuse of the 8-year-old plaintiff.

"And so when those red flags are ignored, that's the reckless and intentional disregard for the safety of the other students," Fortenberry said.

According to the lawsuit, the principal did not investigate after that report.

The lawsuit also alleges the parent of another child asked to have their daughter transferred out of Campbell's class after she became distraught about attending it, but that request was denied.

"And so the fact that the principal was given two opportunities to investigate and failed to do so is just devastating," Fortenberry said.

The lawsuit was filed under a new Texas law that allows public schools to be sued when they are alleged to have been grossly negligent or reckless in supervising employees accused of sexually assaulting students.

Fortenberry said the case has prompted additional families to come forward.

"The bravery and courageousness of an 8-year-old girl to tell on the teacher... it's just remarkable, right? And we have seen in this case that once 1 girl told, and once parents began to ask questions of other girls in the class, that we hear more girls in that class saying me too, me too, me too," Fortenberry said.

Plano ISD has previously called Campbell's alleged conduct "reprehensible and is completely inconsistent with the values and expectations we hold for all Plano ISD employees."

Neither the district nor the principal had responded to NBC 5's requests for comment on the lawsuit.