CIBOLO, Texas — The founder and superintendent of Essence Preparatory Public School has been arrested by local authorities and faces three criminal charges following an incident earlier this month.
Akeem Jonathan Brown, 34, was arrested by the Cibolo Police Department and booked into the Guadalupe County Jail on May 14. According to official jail records, Brown faces charges of driving while intoxicated, evading arrest, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Booking data indicates that Brown was released from the county facility on the same day as his arrest, May 14. Specific details surrounding the circumstances of the traffic stop or subsequent arrest have not been released by law enforcement, and representatives with the Cibolo Police Department have been contacted for additional information regarding the active cases.
The administrative action occurs during a period of structural closure for the educational institution. According to reporting by the San Antonio Report, the Texas Education Agency previously issued an order in December mandating the closure of Essence Preparatory Public School due to substandard performance evaluations.
A formal notification sent by Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath to Brown and School Board President Brian Dillard indicated that the open-enrollment contract for the academy is scheduled to officially terminate on July 31. In the correspondence, Commissioner Morath specified that the closure mandate followed multiple years of academically unacceptable performance ratings, noting that the institution received an F rating for the 2022–2023 academic period, a D rating for the 2023–2024 period, and an F rating for the 2024–2025 period.
A spokesperson for the academy issued a formal response acknowledging that the Essence Preparatory Public School Board of Directors is aware of the situation involving the superintendent. The statement noted that the board cannot provide commentary on specific details because the situation is a confidential personnel matter. The statement further clarified that the board will maintain oversight of all current administrative operations to ensure proper protocols are maintained. Board members reiterated that the campus will permanently halt all operations at the conclusion of the current academic term and will not resume operations for the 2026–2027 school year, adding that their primary focus remains on assisting students, families, and faculty members through the institutional transition.
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