HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A Houston-area mother is letting her displeasure be known over how her child's school district handled a recent situation.
She said she's concerned for her child's safety and wellbeing after investigators announced Sheldon ISD third grade teacher Jessica Ferguson was arrested and is accused of conducting drug deals during class.
Federal and local officials announced more than a dozen arrests were made across Houston on Wednesday as part of a multi-agency operation. The arrests were the culmination of a two-year investigation by a joint task force made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The teacher who was indicted is one of 20 facing charges in connection with an organized crime ring. Law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation said they think the 20 people involved could also have crucial information about nearly a dozen unsolved murder and shooting cases that happened in Houston since 2020.
In a news conference Thursday, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said they had tapped the teacher's phone and when she was doing a drug deal, students were heard in the background. She was arrested at her school's campus, although not in front of students, the district said.
The mother, whose child goes to Garrett Elementary School, asked not to be identified. She did want to be clear about one thing, though: If the allegations are true, she's disgusted.
"At no point did you stop to think maybe not do this here? Or did you just not care at all about the situation? I mean, she’s essentially making part of it because if she’s talking out loud or she saying what she’s doing in front of the kids hearing and also whoever she’s doing this with are they coming up to the school with her to meet her where the kids are?" the parent said.
The mother said Sheldon ISD didn't address the teacher's arrest until more than 24 hours after it happened and when the district did acknowledge it, they sent a message to parents that didn't even say which campus she worked at. She said she later found out the teacher was working at the same school where her child attends -- Garrett Elementary.
The parent said she's also upset that the teacher hasn't yet been fired and is questioning the vetting process of the school district during its hiring process.