Former teacher at Grand Prairie charter school accused of sexual assaulting student
A former teacher at Uplift Grand Preparatory Academy in Grand Prairie was arrested Thursday and accused in the sexual assault of a student at the charter school, Grand Prairie police said Friday.
Detectives continued on Friday to interview other parents and children who may have been in contact with 37-year-old Jamil Wazed of The Colony.
Wazed was arrested Thursday by officials with the U.S. Marshals Service North Texas Fugitive Task Force.
The Colony man was in the Grand Prairie Detention Center on Friday in lieu of $200,000 bond.
Wazed faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, Grand Prairie police said.
Wazed was fired from the school in August 2019 for violation of inappropriate behavior standards set by school officials and the Texas Education Agency, an Uplift official said Friday. Details of the violation were not released Friday.
Uplift officials also reported the incident to officials with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the TEA.
An investigation began in July when Grand Prairie detectives received an outcry from a parent of a child at the school, 300 E. Church St. in Grand Prairie. The academy is a charter school and it is not affiliated with the Grand Prairie school district.
The child reported being sexually assaulted by Wazed, Grand Prairie police said Friday.
Grand Prairie detectives conducted interviews with staff members, parents and children which led to Wazed’s arrest on Thursday.
“As with every staff position, we conduct thorough background checks before an employee is offered a position,” said Uplift Grand spokeswoman Deborah Bigham in a Friday email. “We also have an extensive process to vet any concerns expressed by staff or students while on our campus.”
Bigham said school officials are reviewing all processes.
Anyone with information or concerns about a child having contact with Wazed should call Grand Prairie police at 972-237-8790.
