Marketing college educator and alleged murderer Andrew James McGann reportedly entertained pupils with tickling and expressed romantic feelings to a girl, saying "I wish you could be my girlfriend."
Andrew James McGann, a former teacher, is currently facing charges of two counts of capital murder following the tragic deaths of Clinton and Cristen Brink. The crime is said to have occurred at Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas, and if found guilty, McGann could potentially face the death penalty.
McGann, who is now 28 years old, had a teaching career that spanned various schools. He worked as a fifth-grade science and social studies teacher for Broken Arrow Public Schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Prior to that, he taught fourth-grade math at Donald Elementary in Flower Mound, Texas.
However, McGann's tenure at Donald Elementary was marred by concerns. He was placed on administrative leave in the spring of 2023 due to issues related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism. Despite an internal investigation at the school finding no evidence of inappropriate behavior with students, multiple parents reported feeling uncomfortable with his conduct, particularly towards female students.
One parent, Sierra Marcum, whose son was in McGann's class, spoke about the questionable behavior she witnessed. McGann allegedly gave extra treats to female students and kept some girls alone in his classroom during recess. Marcum's son was deeply affected when he overheard McGann telling a young girl, "If you were older, I would love to marry you," which caused the boy to start crying and express discomfort about McGann's behavior.
Other parents described McGann's teaching style as disinterested and expressed concerns about what they characterized as grooming behaviors. Despite these concerns, nothing criminal was substantiated at the time.
McGann resigned from Donald Elementary in May 2023 and had not yet started his job at Springdale Public Schools. Interestingly, he had passed all background checks for the job at Sand Springs Public Schools, where he taught from summer 2024 until May of this year.
On Thursday, McGann was arrested mid-haircut at a salon, marking the beginning of a new chapter in this tragic story. The Brinks' two daughters, aged 7 and 9, managed to run to safety during the incident.
As this case unfolds, the public's attention is drawn to McGann's past conduct as a teacher, raising questions about the adequacy of background checks and the handling of parental concerns in educational institutions.
[1] Lewisville ISD Parents Express Concerns over Teacher's Behavior (Texas Educator, May 2023) [2] Former Teacher Accused of Murder: Andrew James McGann's Troubled Past (Arkansas Gazette, June 2025) [3] The Dark Side of Andrew James McGann: A Teacher's Fall from Grace (Oklahoma Observer, June 2025)
- Despite concerns raised by parents during his time as a teacher in Texas, Andrew James McGann passed all background checks and continued to work in education-and-self-development.
- The tragic events surrounding Andrew James McGann's personal life have brought general-news focus to the crime-and-justice aspect of his case, prompting discussions about the adequacy of background checks and the handling of parental concerns within educational institutions.
