BISD teacher charged with misdemeanor official oppression

A vocational agriculture teacher at Buckholts ISD was arrested Monday on a Class A misdemeanor charge of official oppression.
After his arrest by Buckholts Police Officer Carlos Paniagua Monday, Steve Alan Gaylord, 62, was booked into the Milam County Jail. He was released a few hours later on $2,500 bond.
Official oppression is a charge under the Texas Penal Code, Chapter 39, Abuse of Office. According to the code, a public servant “acting under color of his office or employment commits an offense if he or she “subjects another to mistreatment or to arrest, detention, search, seizure, dispossession, assessment, or lien that he knows is unlawful; denies or impedes another in the exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege, power, or immunity, knowing his conduct is unlawful;  or intentionally subjects another to sexual harassment.”
“The district cannot comment on ongoing investigations except to say that Mr. Gaylord was placed on administrative leave shortly after certain claims were brought to our attention,” BISD Superintendent Dr. Dirk Dykstra said in a statement released Tuesday.
BISD trustees met Monday night “and voted to propose termination of Mr. Gaylord’s contract with the district,” Dykstra said. “Any action concerning Mr. Gaylord’s contract will not be final until all District policies and procedures are completed, but he will remain on leave during this process,” he added.
“Buckholts ISD takes any allegations concerning the safety and well-being of our students very seriously,” Dykstra said, “In addition to immediately conducting its own investigation, Buckholts ISD has been cooperating with law enforcement and other state authorities in this matter.”