Ropes ISD employee arrested for grooming student

A Ropes ISD employee, Scott Strobel, was arrested last week for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a 14-year-old girl he was tutoring in saxophone. The 60-year-old was booked on March 14 for child grooming, which is considered a third-degree felony. He was released the following day on a $50,000 bond. The investigation began when the girl and her father reported the messages to the Wolfforth Police Department. Strobel reportedly confessed in the texts to having romantic feelings for her. He expressed thoughts about kissing her and acknowledged that he was flirting with her. During an interview with police, Strobel admitted to sending the messages and described his actions as "stupid." Ropes ISD superintendent Dade Cosby stated that Strobel was placed on administrative leave as soon as the district learned about the allegations. Cosby emphasized that there is no evidence connecting the investigation to any Ropes ISD student or activities on campus. He stressed the importance of maintaining professional boundaries between staff and students and encouraged parents to discuss reporting feelings of discomfort with their children. The district will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.