WFAA-TV

A Dallas Independent School District hall monitor-- accused of threatening a student and his family-- lost his bid to keep working for the district.

Tyrone Hughes worked at South Oak Cliff High.

He's also a former NFL running back who played with the Cowboys in 1998.

Last school year, Hughes says a student stole his cell phone.

The district's investigation concluded that Hughes threatened that student's family while trying to get the phone back.

"They're basically saying they believe I threatened a child's life," Hughes said. "And I didn't."

When the student went through Hughes' phone he found nude pictures inside.

The district cited that as one reason for terminating him, though there is no district policy against that.