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A former Manor Independent School District special education aide has been arrested on a charge of injury to a child, elderly individual or disabled individual after investigators documented more than 20 aggressive encounters with autistic elementary students.
Pamella Craig, 51, worked at Presidential Meadows Elementary School and is accused of at least 23 aggressive physical encounters with five students over 11 days, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Journal. All five students were 9 years old, nonverbal, diagnosed as autistic and unable to comprehend or communicate, police said.
Each incident was recorded on Manor Independent School District classroom cameras.
In one incident, records show, Craig grabbed a student by the face, jerked his head and screamed in his face four times. Another report said she forcefully made a female student pick up her toys and slammed her back into her chair Aug. 12.
Police allege Craig forced students into their seats on several occasions, with records noting Craig told investigators she is “overly aggressive” with special education students.
Craig was booked into the Travis County Jail, in lieu of paying a $15,000 bond.
Families of students directly involved were notified, and Presidential Meadows staff have received additionaltraining, according to Principal Valiza Castro.
Craig’s arrest follows another booking of a former Presidential Meadows teacher, Michael Nathan, who was arrested earlier this month after allegedly assaulting a 9-year-old student.
According to an affidavit, Nathan grabbed the student by the backpack during dismissal Aug. 25, pulled the child back into the building, slammed the student against a wall and pinned them with his forearm across the neck and chest for about 10 seconds.
Nathan’s bond was set at $5,000 with a no-contact order.
Manor ISD stressed the two cases are unrelated.
“While these were isolated incidents that coincidentally occurred around the same time, our Presidential Meadows staff have received additional training focused on student management and appropriate employee conduct,” Castro wrote in a letter to families.
District officials said all employees undergo required criminal background checks and fingerprinting before being hired. The district acknowledged maintaining student safety requires ongoing training, oversight and accountability after employees begin working in schools.
The district offered no further comment upon request.
