Former Longview ISD teacher sentenced to prison

LONGVIEW — A former Longview ISD employee pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday for multiple counts of injury to a child. According to our news partner KETK, Paula Dixon, 60 of Longview, was arrested in July 2022 along with five other women that year in connection to abuse allegations against special education students at J.L. Everhart Elementary. In her indictment, it said Dixon forced children against a wall, struck them with a stick and pushed a child “with the knee of Defendant and by sitting on [the child.]” Former Longview ISD employees Cecelia Gregg, Cynthia Talley and Dixon were “released from employment,” according to the district, in October 2021 after their discovery of the abuse allegations. Gregg has a trial date set for Dec. 11, and Talley has a hearing set for Dec. 6. The district said two administrators, Cassandra James and Linda Lister who were also charged in the abuse investigation resigned in lieu of termination. Priscilla Johnson, “a teacher who frequented the classroom,” according to the district, resigned.

James and Lister have upcoming hearing dates set for Nov. 8 on their charges, and Johnson has a hearing date set for Feb. 7. In September 2022, attorney’s announced the school district had reached a $2.5 million settlement with 10 families of students in connection to the abuse investigation. Dixon was indicted in June 2022.