Former Bastrop ISD teacher arrested for attempting to meet up with teen girl

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42-year-old James Byrd was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor.

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas - A former Bastrop ISD teacher was arrested for online solicitation of a minor, police said.

According to the North Richland Hills Police Department, in the Dallas County area, on Dec. 27, 2023, 42-year-old James Byrd contacted who he believed was a 15-year-old girl on Whisper, an online chatting platform.

Detectives from the North Richland Hills PD, Fort Worth PD and other agencies were working together in a joint operation.

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Police said the investigation led to Byrd contacting the child and agreeing to meet with her in the Dallas area. He was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor.

According to Bastrop ISD, Byrd was a history teacher at Cedar Creek High School from Aug. 7, 2019 to Jan. 4. During the break, the district says it learned of Byrd's arrest, and he was placed on administrative leave. Byrd resigned from his position on Jan. 4.

"Per protocol, BISD reported the individual to the State Board for Educator Certification. Although the criminal investigation does not involve BISD or any of our students and rests with officials in Tarrant County, Bastrop ISD will cooperate fully with law enforcement as needed," said the district in an email to FOX 7 Austin.

The principal at CCHS sent a letter to parents of his students:

January 8, 2024

Dear parents,

You are receiving this email today to make you aware of a change in teacher assignment for your child's history class. Beginning today, your child's history class will be taught by a substitute teacher who is certified and experienced in teaching history courses. This placement will continue for the remainder of the school year.

On Thursday when we returned from the winter break, your child's former history teacher, James Byrd, was placed on administrative leave after the district learned of Mr. Byrd's arrest in Tarrant County on December 28. Per protocol, in addition to placing the teacher on leave, BISD reported him to the State Board for Educator Certification. The District accepted his resignation on January 4, and he is no longer employed by BISD.

Although the criminal investigation does not involve BISD or any of our students and rests with officials in Tarrant County, Bastrop ISD will cooperate fully with law enforcement as needed.

Please be assured that high-quality teaching and learning in your child's history class will continue uninterrupted for the rest of this semester. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Kasie Stagman
CCHS Principal