J.L. Everhart Elementary Principal Cassandra Renee James, Assistant Principal Linda Brown Lister, Paula Dixon, Teachers Aide arrested in abuse probe

On Friday, three former Longview ISD employees who worked in the charter school system were sentenced to jail time on accusations of abusing special needs pupils.

The investigation into the allegations of abuse started earlier this year after Cynthia Wise, the former CEO of East Texas Advanced Academies, abruptly resigned without explanation. Wise also received a lump-sum payout of $350,000.

The claims of mistreatment involving special education children were later made public through information requests and by Tyler lawyer Shane McGuire. McGuire, who claimed to represent the families of 10 children, was unavailable for comment on Friday as news of the three women’s arrests broke. According to him, at least a few non-verbal autistic pupils were part of the mistreatment, which was caught on camera.

Paula Hawkins Dixon, who will turn 59 this month, was the subject of numerous indictments

that was brought in June. Dixon, a former teacher’s assistant, is accused of injuring children on a total of 11 counts in three separate indictments. 11 separate kids, who were identified in the indictment by initials and characterized as being under 14 years old, appear to be involved in the charges.

Linda Kaye Brown Lister, 60, who worked as “curriculum support” for the school, which is effectively assistant principal, and Cassandra Renee James, 47, the former principal at J.L. Everhart Elementary, were both indicted on a single charge of harming a child.

The youngster mentioned under the initials J.G. in the indictments against them, who was

under the age of 15, appears to be the same child. The indictments accuse each woman of putting the child “in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, and physical and mental impairment by swinging a paddle toward and near the head of J.G. and the defendant did not voluntarily deliver J.G. to a designated emergency infant care provider,” as required by state law. Each charge appears to be connected to the same incident on September 7, 2021.

It’s unclear if the child named in the charges against James and Lister and the one listed in the indictments against Dixon’s case are the same child. The indictments against Dixon also include allegations involving three other children under the age of 14.

She “intentionally and deliberately caused physical damage to J.G. by gripping and tugging and shoving J.G. to and against the wall and ground with the defendant’s hand,” according to the indictment. later on August 20, 2021, she is charged with striking “G.M.” with a stick, according to the indictment.

She is suspected of hitting “D.M.” with a backpack in a separate incident that happened on September 22, 2021. The same day, she is also accused of hurting “M.W.” by “grabbing and dragging and pushing” the little child.

This month, a separate four-count indictment was released with allegations involving four children under the age of 14. Dixon is charged with “pulling and forcing A.C. to and against the ground with (her) hand,” “striking R.C. with a stick,” “striking and poking G.T. with a stick,” and “grabbing and shaking M.P. with (her) hand.” According to reports, the occurrences took place in August and September 2021.

By “hitting K.RO. with (her hand) and with a stick, pressing K.RO. with (her) knee, and sitting on K.RO. in August and September 2021,” Dixon allegedly hurt three children under the age of 14 in the final, three-count indictment against her that was released in June. She is also charged with hitting “K.RE” and “C.R.”, two kids, with her hand.

The charter school East Texas Advanced Academies has six sites in the Longview ISD. East Texas Charter Schools on Alpine Road in Longview are not affiliated with ETAA.

LISD issued a statement Friday afternoon saying it expects more arrests in the coming days, saying it reported to law enforcement in October 2021 the “suspected mistreatment of students in a life skills classroom at J.L. Everhart Elementary.”

Once we have confirmation and an opportunity to review and confirm the charges, we will issue a statement and provide the Longview ISD community with whatever information we are permitted to release. We are committed in our partnership with the Longview Police Department in seeking justice for these children so we must be mindful not to speak in haste and jeopardize prosecution,” LISD Superintendent James Wilcox said in the statement.

Lister and James each were arrested and released from jail on Friday on $25,000 bonds. Dixon was arrested and released Friday on bonds totaling $75,000 on the three indictments.

Last known contact information

Paula H Dixon
Address: 403 E COLLEGE LONGVIEW, TX 75601-7518
Phone: (903) 452-3672

Linda Brown Lister
Address: 353 Pleas Cocke Rd Longview, TX 75603
Phone: (903) 643-8548
Email: lilbridg05@aol.com

Cassandra James
Address: 113 Fredricksburg Cir Hallsville, TX 75650
Phone: (903) 452-3966
Email: cassandra.james@aol.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/a_diva_qt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divaqt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassandra.r.james

Jail Information

Paula Dixon
Booking #: 22-00125822

Linda Brown Lister
Booking #: 22-00125821

Cassandra James
Booking #: 22-00125820