MELISSA, Texas — A North Texas band teacher was arrested and charged with an improper relationship with a 16-year-old student.
Jail records show 38-year-old Michael Eugene Reddell, the band director at Melissa High School, was booked into the Collin County Jail on August 18. He was charged with an improper relationship between educator and student, as well as sexual assault, both felonies.
Bond was set at $50,000.
According to an affidavit, the inappropriate relationship began with texts between the teacher and student for about eight to nine months. Reddell allegedly admitted the relationship led to touching in the spring.
According to the affidavit, he confessed to touching the 16-year-old student under her clothes while inside his office at the school. Police said Reddell later wrote an apology to the student over the assault.
According to a biography that has now been removed from the Mighty Cardinal Band's website, Reddell grew up in Sherman and graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2005. He previously worked for Mansfield ISD and Whitewright ISD and began working for Melissa ISD in 2010.
The district's Superintendent, Keith Murphy, told WFAA News 8 that Reddell resigned Tuesday. Sheena James was named the new band director at the school.
"We are interested to see what will be revealed through a thorough police investigation," Murphy said in a written statement. "It is important to remember that Melissa ISD will always work to promote a wholesome and healthy environment for all students."
The district added that police have been "working diligently to obtain updates on Reddell."
"We had been told [Tuesday] night that he had resigned for personal family reasons, and that's all we had heard," said Teena Williams, who lives feet from the high school. Two of her seven children will attend the school for the 2015-2016 year.
Williams said she learned more details about his arrest Wednesday morning.
"I would never have expected to hear something like this," she said. "He's just a really great guy, a lot of respect for the kids and the community, and I wouldn't expect any allegations of this sort to come forth."
The Melissa Independent School District and police department continue to investigate the case.
