A California school has dismissed a substitute teacher from its classroom for allegedly watching “inappropriate” content during class. The West Covina Unified School District (WCUSD) said in a release issued on Friday, February 16, 2024, that the incident happened at Cameron Elementary School in West Covina, California.
According to the district’s statement, students reported the teacher. The statement claimed that students alleged that he had been “viewing inappropriate images on his cell while on school premises.” In addition, the district’s report stated that the incident resulted in him being “immediately removed from the classroom setting as well as the school.”
After a parent’s outrage and the subsequent dismissal of the teacher, the school superintendent issued a second statement. Superintendent Emy Flores provided more detail and a timeline of events on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
According to the statement, the incident occurred around noon on Friday when a parent called Cameron Elementary principal Sylvia Fullerton. Flores said the parent asked why their child had called them crying.
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Consequently, Fullerton checked the classroom and found several students inside crying. Flores stated that the school principal “took over the class and directed the substitute teacher to leave the classroom.” Afterward, the school superintendent said Fullerton asked what was going on.
“She inquired why students were crying,” the superintendent wrote. “She spent time with students and assured them they were safe.” The statement continued, “And told them that the substitute teacher would not be returning to their class.”
Furthermore, the report said the school called on district officials from the West Covina Police Department (WCPD) and Child Protective Services and promptly notified them of the matter. Afterward, the WCPD issued a statement on the incident, saying the department is investigating.
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“An investigation is currently underway to thoroughly examine the situation and gather all the necessary information,” the statement read. The department also stated that they are working tirelessly to address community concerns.
“However, investigations of this nature require time and diligence to ensure a fair and accurate assessment,” it continued. “It is essential to allow the investigation process to unfold without jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.”
Following the release, members of an area community page expressed further concerns. They also made several accusations in comments on a post about the incident. However, the authorities have not confirmed or proved the community members’ concerns.
Some complained that the school didn’t notify the parents promptly. Conversely, others debunked the claims, saying they were parents of kids in the classroom and that the school notified them. Also, they stated that the school allowed them to pick up their children early that afternoon.
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According to the timeline shared in the school’s second statement, they notified the kids’ parents by 12:30 p.m. Furthermore, the school’s reports said some of the parents and guardians opted to come pick their children up from school shortly after.
Despite the outage from the community leaders, police have yet to share the substitute teacher’s identity. Also, the WCPD has not revealed any information about a potential arrest or criminal charges against the substitute teacher. “We understand this situation may evoke strong emotions within our community,” the WCPD said.
“However, we urge everyone to remain calm and trust in the investigation process.” The police department concluded, “We will provide updates on the investigation as they become available.”
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