HASLET (TX)
Dallas Morning News [Dallas TX]
March 2, 2026
By Elissa Jorgensen
“This shows what can happen when a community chooses courage over silence. The work doesn’t end here,” Katie Thompson said.
The founding pastor of Heritage Baptist Church has resigned his position after his son, a registered sex offender, was terminated from employment at the church and private school before being arrested recently, according to a statement released Monday afternoon by the church.
Eric Crawford announced his decision Sunday in a move that takes effect immediately.
The church will vote to appoint an interim pastor within the next two weeks, the statement said.
Officials said they also plan to bolster the church’s hiring rules and regulations.
“The church is taking steps to review and reinforce campus procedures and security measures across all ministries,” the statement said.
The steps include auditing background checks when necessary and implementing a new visitor access system, according to the statement. Church officials also said its security measures have been increased during the transitional period.
The Dallas Morning News contacted church officials for further comment and was told there was no other information to disclose.
“We are trying to take care of the needs of our members during all of this,” Sim Stone, the church’s secretary, wrote in an email.
Katie Thompson, who created the Change.org petition urging the pastor to step down, said she is thankful for everyone who signed, shared and supported .
“Your voices mattered. They made a difference,” she said. “This shows what can happen when a community chooses courage over silence. The work doesn’t end here.”
Thompson said the efforts people made weren’t about attacking the church. They were about safety, accountability and creating a culture where people speak up when something is wrong, she said.
Dani Jo Gunderson and her husband have pulled their three children from the academy since Caleb Crawford’s sex offender status came to light. Gunderson said she wonders why no one stood up and said something before now.
“Why did it take my husband and I — essentially outsiders — to be the ones the bring this to light?” she asked. “They are just now ‘finally’ doing something about it because of the amount of exposure they’re getting.”
See original article for a statement from Heritage Baptist Church of Haslet.
Crawford’s resignation follows an uproar from parents and community members about his decision to employ son Caleb Crawford at the church’s academy.
Caleb Crawford spent two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to indecency with a child by contact. He was released in 2018, court records show.
After his conviction, Caleb Crawford signed documents that stated his duty to register as a sex offender annually for the rest of his life, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. He also signed a form stating he would report any change in his name, workplace or educational status.
In 2025, Caleb Crawford completed his annual registration and reported his occupation as “self-employed construction,” the affidavit said.
He has not reported any employment changes since 2021 and has listed his work address as being in Fort Worth, though the church and academy are in Haslet, according to the affidavit.
Eric Crawford initially released a statement on Feb. 16 saying his son was fired after academy parents expressed concerns.
The church, located about 20 miles north of Fort Worth, announced Feb. 19 that Eric Crawford would be “temporarily relieved” of ministry duties during an internal review.
Caleb Crawford was arrested Feb. 20 for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He bailed out of the Tarrant County jail on Feb. 23, according to the sheriff’s office.
Parents told the officer they saw Caleb Crawford working daily as a janitor at the academy, according to the affidavit. Another parent told the officer they saw him installing cameras on campus and in the church’s day care, the affidavit said.
Caleb Crawford’s case has not yet been presented to a grand jury, according to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.
The case has been assigned a defense attorney and a prosecutor who works for the district attorney’s office. His next court date is set for Aug. 12.