Mineral Wells Area News

By Amy Meyer/ Mineral Wells Area News

Mineral Wells Independent School District says they have put the head boys basketball coach on administrative leave after media reports out of Houston indicate educators across the state have been under investigation for allegedly cheating on teaching certification exams.

The TEA has identified over a hundred educators who are under investigation for allegedly cheating on certification exams. Nearly half of them are from North Texas, and one is a current employee of MWISD.

Taylor Luster, who is in his second season as the high school boys Varsity basketball and golf coach, has been identified as one of the teachers who is under investigation under the Teachers Education Association for allegedly cheating on certification tests exams.

MWAN reached out to MWISD earlier in the day after the statewide story broke and was told they were looking into the situation, but around 8pm the ISD sent a message to parents of the basketball team, through the parenting message system, that Luster was put on administrative leave tonight, pending the investigation.

MWAN received the following statement from MWISD Superintendent David Tarver.

“Mineral Wells ISD was made aware of an employee whose Texas Educator Certification was under review due to allegations stemming from the current investigation centered on a Houston based ‘teacher-certification cheating scheme.’ The employee has been placed on administrative leave while the district consults with our attorney and investigates the allegations internally. The district will cooperate fully with the Texas Education Agency in their investigation.”

Here is a link to the CBS story that details the allegations.

Mineral Wells Area News will continue to investigate the story and will bring you pertinent information as it is revealed.