Former Fort Davis ISD teacher and coach Sarah Parker alleges she was pressured to resign following what she described as false accusations made by students, according to a report by NewsWest 9.
In the report, Parker said district administrators presented her on March 25 with six allegations from students, including claims that she showed inappropriate content in class and discussed her sexuality with students. Parker denied the allegations.
“I don’t even talk about my private life with anyone,” Parker told NewsWest 9. “I don’t discuss it because I do know that I live in West Texas. It’s just a conservative area, and you don’t do that.”
According to NewsWest 9, Parker said Fort Davis ISD administrators later gave her an ultimatum to resign within four days or face a public discussion of the allegations. Parker said she chose to resign rather than endure what she described as public humiliation.
Parker told the television station she submitted what she described as a “scathing resignation” and said district officials did not meaningfully consider her rebuttal to the allegations.
She also alleged that several junior girls coordinated efforts to have her dismissed after disciplinary disputes involving late assignments and basketball participation requirements. Parker claimed the students created a Snapchat group chat called “Parker’s #1 Fans,” which she said included discussions, emails, recordings and photos related to efforts to get her fired.
According to the NewsWest 9 report, Parker said a parent also brought the alleged group chat to the superintendent’s attention.
Parker further alleged that rumors about the accusations have harmed her ability to secure other coaching or teaching positions.
NewsWest 9 reported that it contacted the superintendent for comment, but the district declined to discuss personnel matters.
Big Bend Times also received outreach from Parker regarding the situation.
While Parker maintains the allegations were false and retaliatory, questions remain unanswered publicly, including why she chose resignation rather than requesting a formal investigation if she believed she had done nothing wrong. Additionally, the resignation letter Parker described as “scathing” has not been publicly released.
At this time, the claims outlined in the NewsWest 9 report remain allegations, and Fort Davis ISD has not publicly addressed the specifics of the matter.
