MIDLAND, Texas — Parents and families whose children go to Midland Christian School showed up to the Midland City Council chambers Tuesday to speak out about the arrests made of current employee, coach and assistant principle Matthew Counts and former employees Dana Ellis and Jared Lee.
"The Midland Christian family is a group of wonderful people who really just want truth," said Courtney Garrison, mother of Midland Christian students. "We're not looking to cover anything up, we're not looking to hide anything, we're looking to actually uncover things, and elevate truth, and bring light to the situation. And our hope would be to just make sure justice is done and that truth would be the thing to rise to the top."
The group wants the city council to look into the police department and their investigation that led to these three arrests.
"The way the city government works is that the city owns the police department, and so that would be kind of like looking into your own family, which I know that that's difficult," said Garrison. "But yes, I think the city needs to look into specific officers at the police department that are creating cases that are filled with falsehoods."
Garrison believes the three were falsely indicted.
"We're a city in dire need of good educators and coaches, people to invest in young people, and the people they've accused and falsely indicted is, it's frightening to be in a community where that can happen to people who are law-abiding educators, administrators and coaches," said Garrison.
The goal of speaking up is action.
"The goal of this would be, I would say a couple of things," said Garrison. "Number one, that once the investigation happens, or the review happens of how we got here, that it would be very clear of the police department and it would travel its way up to the district attorney's office, and that this case would actually be thrown out, because there was an indictment based off of falsehood and a misapplication of law. So our goal would be that this case would be thrown out prior to any trial."
Midland Mayor Elect Lori Blong released the following statement to NewsWest 9 about the arrests:
"I am thinking deeply about the situation and I am concerned about what is going on. Any further action will require full council involvement."
A spokesperson for the Midland Police Department said they would not comment on this matter.