by Athens, Texas — An East Texas school district is facing renewed scrutiny after a teacher and assistant coach was arrested on campus Monday following allegations that he possessed drugs at school and had a firearm inside his vehicle parked on district property.
According to police records, Broderick Omar Hopkins, 47, an employee of Athens Independent School District, was taken into custody and booked into the Henderson County Jail on multiple charges. Authorities say the arrest stemmed from a report made by the district itself.
Hopkins faces charges of possession of marijuana, possession of dangerous drugs, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. His total bond was set at $15,000, and jail records show he was released later the same day.
District alerted police to possible drug possession
An arrest affidavit reveals that an officer with the Athens Police Department was notified by the school district that a staff member may have had marijuana on his person while on campus.
The staff member was later identified as Hopkins, who worked at Central Athens Elementary School.
During a meeting at the elementary school, administrators handed police a pill bottle containing four unidentified pills. According to the affidavit, when the officer opened the bottle, the odor of marijuana was immediately noticeable.
That discovery prompted officers to take further action.
Officer attempted to search vehicle, affidavit says
Police informed Hopkins that his vehicle would be searched. At that point, according to the affidavit, Hopkins said he needed to make a phone call and questioned why his truck needed to be searched.
As the officer and the school principal walked toward the parking lot, Hopkins reportedly entered the driver’s seat of his truck and began to drive away.
“We are not doing this,”
— the officer told Hopkins, according to the arrest affidavit
The officer then opened the driver-side door, where he again detected the smell of marijuana coming from inside the truck, the document states.
Drugs and firearm discovered inside truck
During the vehicle search, police say they found an unlabeled orange pill bottle and a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana.
Further inspection of the vehicle led to the discovery of a pistol inside a backpack, secured in a holster.
Central Athens Elementary is designated as a drug- and weapon-free zone
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Based on the items recovered, Hopkins was arrested at the scene and later booked into jail on the three charges.
School district responds, places employee on leave
In a statement released Monday, Athens Independent School District confirmed that an employee at Central Athens Elementary School had been arrested outside the campus earlier that morning.
The district did not name the employee publicly but confirmed he is a teacher and assistant basketball coach.
Athens ISD emphasized that the firearm was located inside the employee’s vehicle and stated that it was not considered an immediate concern to students or staff.
“Athens ISD is committed to upholding the highest level of integrity as a matter of public trust,”
— Athens ISD said in its statement
The district added that the employee has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation and confirmed that no students were involved in the incident.
Ongoing investigation and next steps
Law enforcement officials have not said whether additional charges could be filed as the case proceeds. The investigation remains ongoing, and the school district has stated it will continue cooperating with authorities.
For parents and community members, the arrest has raised concerns about safety and accountability on school campuses — particularly when incidents involve educators and school property.
Hopkins’ next court appearance has not yet been publicly announced.
What are your thoughts on how schools should handle arrests involving staff members on campus? Share your perspective in the comments below.
