Leonard police on October 27 arrested Jansen Trotter, principal of Leonard High School, and charged him with failure to report employee misconduct. Leonard is about 62 miles north of Dallas in Fannin County. Trotter began the principal job in July 2026, according to the story. Leonard ISD has placed him on administrative leave. He has been booked into the Fannin County Jail, and no bond has been set.
According to Leonard police, Trotter lied about what he knew of misconduct claims made by a Leonard High School student who died by suicide earlier in October. Investigators found an audio recording of a conversation between the student and Trotter, in which the student reported claims of misconduct by a Leonard High School teacher against multiple female students. Investigator Billy Ivy said Trotter denied knowing about the conversation before Ivy told him about the recording. The teacher has not been identified in the report.
Police have not seen evidence that the allegations involving Trotter's alleged failure to report led to the student's suicide. Terri Bush, a grandparent of a Leonard High School student who is not connected to the investigation, said she was "real shocked" by the arrest. She also said, "I think it was wrong of him not to do anything about it."