HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Editor's note: An earlier version of this story stated that both incidents Palmore is charged for involved 11-year-old girls and both were intentional. This story has been updated to reflect that one victim was 10 and Palmore claims one incident was an accident.
The Kyle Police Department said Tuesday that officers had arrested a Hays CISD second-grade teacher and charged him with indecency with a child.
Blanco Vista Elementary School teacher Andrew Palmore, 49, was charged with two counts of indecency with a child, which is a third-degree felony. Palmore was also charged with two counts of improper relationship between an educator and student, a second-degree felony, according to KPD.
Palmore is currently being held at the Hays County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing at this time, per the department. According to KPD, the alleged incidents Palmore is being charged for did not happen on school property during schools hours.
According to a series of complaints filed by a KPD officer, one incident involved a 10-year-old girl and happened at a park in San Marcos in December 2020. The other incident involved an 11-year-old girl and occurred at a Kyle residence this January.
In an interview with police on Jan. 19, 2021, Palmore stated that the San Marcos incident in December 2020 was an accident. In an interview with police on Feb. 28, 2022, Palmore told police the January 2022 incident in Kyle was intentional and for his own gratification and desires.
Palmore's arrest came after KPD first notified Hays CISD of an investigation into Palmore on Feb. 1. Upon learning of the investigation, the school district placed Palmore on administrative leave and removed his access to campuses and students. The district also reported the case to the State Board of Educator Certification, the agency that oversees educator licensing in Texas.
The district said Palmore was also previously placed on leave in Hays CISD in December 2020 when the district was notified that he was being investigated by Child Protective Services and a different law enforcement agency, other than the Kyle Police Department. The district said those investigations "did not result in any charges or any information provided to the school district that would have caused the district to proceed with disciplinary action against Palmore."
“We know these incidents are extremely unsettling for our community, but we are working together during this difficult time to provide our students and affected families with the justice, care and support they deserve,” said Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett.
Palmore was employed as a substitute teacher for the school district in 2012 and was hired as a full-time teacher at Blanco Vista Elementary in 2014, where he worked as a second, fourth and fifth-grade teacher.
"The district remains unwavering in its commitment that the safety of all students is paramount. The district continues to work closely with law enforcement and public safety partners, including the Kyle Police Department, to ensure the safety of the children in our community and students everywhere in Texas," Hays CISD said in a statement.
The Hays CISD Board of Trustees held a special meeting on March 8 to begin the process of terminating Palmore. The board voted unanimously to fire him.
"This vote should send a strong message that our board appreciates the seriousness of this matter. Our board puts protecting the children in our care as our top priority," said board president Vanessa Petrea.
The KPD Victim Services Unit is providing assistance to victims and their families. The department asks anyone who may have information to contact Detective Carrasco at 512-268-3232 or, to remain anonymous, submit the information online at www.p3tips.com.
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