LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Liberty County investigators want parents to talk to their children after a school principal was arrested.

Hardin High School Principal Chad Barrett is facing charges of possession/promotion of child pornography. He was arrested on Thursday.

That district, just north of Liberty City, has an enrollment of about 1,300 students.

According to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began when a student and his mother walked into the sheriff’s office to file a report about a social media video the student had received. The video was believed to have been sent by Barrett, 56.

Investigators went to the school and spoke with Barrett. They said he cooperated and that during the investigation they found images and videos on his personal cell phone that contained child pornography.

Now, the sheriff’s office is asking parents who have children at Hardin Junior High to talk to their children and make sure they haven’t received any inappropriate messages, videos or photos from Barrett — and if they have — to contact the sheriff’s office at 936- 336-4500.

Hardin ISD released a statement saying Barrett has been removed from the school and placed on administrative leave.

The following is the district’s full statement:

“On November 13, 2024, the Hardin Independent School District was notified of allegations of inappropriate communication with a student by a district employee.

The district has been in direct contact with law enforcement and is assisting with an investigation. We are deeply disturbed by this report and have zero tolerance for inappropriate behavior and expect all district employees to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. The employee was removed from the school and placed on administrative leave.

Due to the seriousness of the allegations and to respect the confidentiality of all individuals involved, the District will not provide additional information about this matter. We respectfully request that everyone refrain from speculating about the allegations, as this may have the unintended consequence of interfering with the ongoing investigation.

The safety and well-being of our students is the District’s highest priority and we feel it is important that parents/staff are notified of this situation as soon as possible. The district will remain focused on providing a safe and supportive learning environment throughout this process.”

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