UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – A recently elected Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD (SCUCISD) board member was terminated from his teaching position after abandoning several children at a Judson ISD elementary school hours before being sworn in, according to records obtained by KSAT Investigates.
The Judson ISD board of trustees voted to terminate Matthew Short’s contract “for good cause” during a Jan. 22 board meeting.
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The incident happened around 4 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2025, at Salinas Elementary School, according to a Judson ISD Police Department report.
Six elementary school students reported that their teacher brought them to the front of the school after tutoring, got in his car, drove away and did not return, records show.
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed to KSAT Investigates that Short is the teacher involved.
Records said Short told a district staff member that he needed to leave early that day and moved his vehicle so he would not be blocked in by parents picking up their children.
Short also allegedly told the staffer he “needed to be on the other side of town” about a half-hour later and left after noticing “most of the kids” had been picked up.
According to the police report, video disputes Short’s claim that he drove up to the school after getting in his car to check on the students.
Approximately two hours after leaving Salinas Elementary School, video showed Short at the SCUCISD board meeting where he was sworn in later that evening. He was elected as a trustee in November 2025.
The report lists a charge of assaulting, abandoning or endangering a child, which is considered a felony. At this time, Short is not facing any criminal charges in connection to the incident, according to a KSAT Investigates review of court records.
A Department of Family Protective Services spokesperson confirmed to KSAT Investigates that the incident has been reported to the agency.
KSAT Investigates has reached out to Short five times in the last two weeks via emails, phone calls and text messages prior to publishing this story. Short called KSAT and said he had been advised not to comment on the situation, and falsely called the police report, a public record, confidential.
Judson ISD spokeswoman Lexi Greathouse told KSAT Investigates that “the district complied with all policies and procedures in addressing this matter with the Board of Trustees. Because this involves a personnel matter, the district is unable to provide additional details related to the Board Action.”
“Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD is aware that Dr. Short’s employment with another school district has been terminated,” SCUCISD spokesman Ed Suarez told KSAT Investigates in an email. “Because this is a private employment matter involving a school board member in their role as a private citizen, we will make no further comment. The district remains focused on serving our students, families, and school community. He was employed at SCUC from August 2023 to May 2025.”
SCUCISD later amended its statement to specify that Judson ISD “proposed termination” of Short’s probationary contract.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.