Privacy Policy -

Privacy Policy

Your privacy is very important to us. Accordingly, we have developed this Policy in order for you to understand how we collect, use, communicate, disclose, and make use of personal information. The following outlines our privacy policy.

General Privacy Principles

Before or at the time of collecting personal information, we will identify the purposes for which information is being collected.
We will collect and use personal information solely with the objective of fulfilling those purposes specified by us and for other compatible purposes, unless we obtain the consent of the individual concerned or as required by law.
We will only retain personal information as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
We will collect personal information by lawful and fair means and, where appropriate, with the knowledge or consent of the individual concerned.
Personal data should be relevant to the purposes for which it is to be used, and, to the extent necessary for those purposes, should be accurate, complete, and up-to-date.
We will protect personal information by reasonable security safeguards against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.
We will make readily available to customers information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.
We are committed to conducting our business in accordance with these principles in order to ensure that the confidentiality of personal information is protected and maintained.

SMS and Text Message Communications

McCathern, PLLC may use personal information, including phone numbers, to communicate with you via SMS or text message. The following terms govern how we collect consent, use your information for text communications, and how you may manage your preferences.

Opt-In and Consent

We will only send SMS or text message communications to individuals who have affirmatively opted in to receive them. Consent may be provided in any of the following ways:

By submitting a phone number through a form field on our website or other digital platforms where SMS opt-in is offered;
By providing a phone number directly to an attorney, employee, or affiliate of McCathern, PLLC with express consent to receive text communications.

We do not send unsolicited text messages. Providing your phone number for a purpose other than SMS opt-in — such as for general contact or scheduling purposes — does not constitute consent to receive marketing or informational text messages.

Use of Phone Numbers for Text Messaging

Phone numbers collected through the SMS opt-in process will be used solely to send relevant communications, which may include firm news, legal updates, event announcements, and other information we believe may be of interest to you. We will not sell, transfer, or share your phone number with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Message Frequency and Costs

Message frequency may vary. Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan. McCathern, PLLC is not responsible for any charges imposed by your carrier in connection with SMS communications.

Opting Out

You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. You may also opt out by contacting us directly at contact@mccathernlaw.com or by calling our office. Upon receipt of a valid opt-out request, we will cease sending text messages to your number promptly. You may reply HELP at any time for assistance.

Data Retention

Phone numbers and related consent records collected for SMS communications will be retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy or as required by applicable law. Records of opt-in consent will be maintained to demonstrate compliance with applicable regulations.

Questions About This Policy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is used, please contact us:

McCathern, PLLC

3710 Rawlins Street, Suite 1600 | Dallas, TX 75219

contact@mccathernlaw.com | 214-741-2662

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PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

December 15, 2025

Author: Rebecca Lopez with WFAA Watch the interview here. PROSPER, Texas — Parents of two young girls who say they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Prosper ISD school bus driver are speaking out about what they describe as serious failures by the district — including delayed notification to families and promised safety changes they say were never fully implemented. The parents asked that they not be identified to protect their children, who were just elementary school age at the time of the abuse. In a lawsuit filed in 2023, the girls — identified only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 — allege former bus driver Frank Paniagua assaulted them repeatedly during the 2021–2022 school year. According to the lawsuit, Paniagua would wait until other students exited the bus, then assault the girls, sometimes holding one child back so he could take her to the rear of the bus. Attorneys say the abuse occurred over several months and was captured on bus surveillance video. How the abuse was discovered The girls’ mother said the abuse came to light after their grandmother noticed troubling comments about gift cards offered by the bus driver. When the mother later questioned the girls again, they disclosed what had been happening. Prosper ISD police reviewed surveillance video from the bus in May 2022. Paniagua was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and indecency with a child. Paniagua later died after jumping from the second floor of the Collin County Jail while awaiting trial. Concerns about delayed notifications Attorneys for the family say more than 100 days passed after Paniagua’s arrest before Prosper ISD publicly acknowledged the allegations — a delay parents say may have prevented other potential victims from being identified. At a packed school board meeting, Prosper ISD parent Morgan Grahovec, a child psychologist whose daughter attended the same school as the victims, told trustees that delays in notifying parents can have serious consequences. “Children who are victims of abuse need to be identified and interviewed as soon as possible because memory fades over time,” Grahovec said. “The longer you wait, it’s harder to get a child to report abuse accurately.” Parents at those meetings called for Superintendent Holly Ferguson’s resignation, arguing district leaders should have acted sooner and communicated more transparently. Ferguson did not step down, instead promising changes to safety protocols. District response and former statement In an earlier written statement to WFAA, Prosper ISD said it took appropriate action once allegations surfaced: “We are horrified that an employee violated the trust of our families and students, as Prosper ISD’s foremost priority is to protect our students’ safety and well-being at all times. We strongly condemn the actions of any adult who would cause mental or physical harm to a child, and we do not tolerate such behavior.” The district has declined additional comment, citing pending litigation. Disputed claims about safety changes Prosper ISD previously told parents it would implement additional safeguards, including increased supervision during bus drop-offs, a volunteer “bus buddy” program, and improved monitoring of bus surveillance video. But the parents and their attorneys say those changes were not consistently put in place. Attorney Levi McCathern says the district does not regularly review bus surveillance footage — even though video captured the alleged abuse in this case. “You would think the first thing you would do after this happens is change your monitoring program,” McCathern said. “They don’t monitor them at all.” McCathern and co-counsel Kristin Hecker say the lawsuit is aimed at forcing policy changes rather than seeking financial gain. Questions about oversight and leadership The case has also raised broader concerns about district leadership and oversight. Prosper ISD’s school board president later resigned in an unrelated child abuse case, further shaking confidence among some parents. Families have also questioned the independence of the district’s internal review, noting that the law firm hired to investigate the district’s response is also defending Prosper ISD in the lawsuit. “All we want is an independent investigation,” McCathern said. Parents push for accountability and change The parents say their children remain enrolled in Prosper ISD, but they continue to press for reforms they believe could prevent similar abuse. “We want justice for our kids,” the girls’ mother said. “But we also want changes to happen at the district so that this doesn’t happen to other children.”