A former Forney ISD elementary school principal has been arrested after investigators alleged she knowingly hired a special education teacher with a controversial employment history and later failed to report allegations that he abused special needs students.
Wendy Bailey, the former principal of Crosby Elementary School, was booked into the Kaufman County Jail last week on charges of endangering a child and failure to report child abuse. She has since posted bond, and no court date has been scheduled.
Bailey’s arrest follows the May arrest of former Crosby Elementary special education teacher Jonathan Michael, who was taken into custody by the Texas Rangers. Michael faces two counts of injury to a child and one count of child grooming. He remains jailed in Kaufman County.
According to Bailey’s arrest affidavit, concerns about Michael surfaced in April 2026 when two teacher’s aides reported that he had inappropriately touched a special needs student and made sexually explicit comments around other students.
Rather than reporting the allegations to Child Protective Services or district officials, investigators allege Bailey transferred the student and one classroom aide to another classroom.
According to the affidavit, Bailey later left a voicemail for the child’s parent saying, “We are experiencing other behaviors in the room that required me to move him for safety reasons,” WFAA reported.
Investigators said Bailey told them she believed moving the student would restore “cohesiveness” in the classroom and expected Michael’s behavior to improve.
Michael is also accused of physically assaulting two other special needs students, including pushing one child into a bookshelf and pinning another to the floor with his knee.
Investigators Say Bailey Knew About Teacher’s Past
The affidavit alleges that Bailey was aware of Michael’s history before recommending him for employment.
Before legally changing his name to Jonathan Michael, he worked under the name Michael Roell while employed by Garland ISD. During that time, he was arrested on a charge of indecency with a child involving sexual contact. Although a Dallas County jury later acquitted him, investigators said Bailey knew about the arrest.
According to the affidavit, when a Forney ISD administrator emailed Roell’s résumé to campuses seeking a special education teacher, Bailey responded by sending a copy of his mugshot and writing, “No thank you, LOLOLOL! Let’s try again :).”
Investigators reviewed phone records and emails showing Bailey continued communicating with Roell after initially rejecting his application. Records indicate she contacted him multiple times in August 2025, reached out to one of his references, and scheduled an interview for August 20.
That interview was later canceled.
Court records show that same day, Roell filed paperwork to legally change his name to Jonathan Michael.
Investigators said Michael’s father told them his son claimed Bailey informed him she could not hire him under his former name but would hire him if he changed it.
After the name change became official in late September 2025, Michael reapplied to Forney ISD. Bailey recommended him for hire the following month.
Bailey told investigators she conducted only a phone interview with Michael under his previous name and never met him in person before hiring him.
Previous Employment Raised Additional Concerns
The affidavit also outlines concerns from Michael’s previous school districts.
While working for Dallas ISD, investigators said a special education student accused Michael of watching the student change clothes and making explicit sexual comments. No criminal charges were filed, but he was removed from that position.
Michael later briefly worked for Denton ISD but was removed after a parent learned of his prior arrest.
Investigators also cited personnel records alleging that in 2015, while working in Garland ISD, Michael broke a special education student’s arm.
Forney ISD said in a statement it continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement as the investigation remains active.
The criminal cases against both Bailey and Michael remain pending. No findings of guilt have been made, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Provided by Dallas Express
