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FORMER SHALLOWATER STUDENT GOES PUBLIC WITH SERIOUS CLAIMS ABOUT DISTRICT, CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER BAND DIRECTOR CASE
Filed September 3, 2026
FORMER SHALLOWATER STUDENT GOES PUBLIC WITH SERIOUS CLAIMS ABOUT DISTRICT, CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER BAND DIRECTOR CASE
A former Shallowater ISD student is publicly calling for greater accountability within the district, alleging that problems involving student safety, harassment and administrative response extend beyond one recent criminal case.
Ricky Ray Serbin Jr., who says he attended Shallowater schools from 2015 to 2021 and again from 2022 through 2026, released a written statement this week outlining several allegations about his experiences.
Serbin claims administrators failed to properly address harassment he experienced as a student and alleges he witnessed other concerns involving racism, religious instruction and controlled substances on or near school property. The806er has not independently verified those allegations.
His statement also references former Shallowater assistant band director Joseph Gonzalez. That portion comes against a documented criminal case. Gonzalez was arrested in March after students accused him of sexual abuse. He was later indicted on state charges involving multiple children and federally indicted for enticement of a minor. Investigators have said messages connected to students dated back to 2023.
Serbin alleges district administrators received warnings about Gonzalez before the investigation became public. The806er has not independently confirmed that claim. Shallowater ISD previously said it first learned of the allegations on February 2 and placed Gonzalez on administrative leave the following morning.
Serbin says his goal in speaking publicly is not simply to revisit his own experience but to push the district toward greater transparency and stronger protections for students.
Photo provided by Ricky Ray Serbin Jr.
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