PRYOR, Okla. — Multiple parents in Pryor Creek are horrified after they said a teacher allegedly assaulted them and their children.
The allegations involve the preschool program at Pryor First United Methodist Church.
One mom told FOX23 that she has now filed a police report.
The mother told FOX23 that she has been sending her two children here for years now and the school has been like a home to them, but now she feels like her and other parents’ concerns are being swept under the rug by the church.
“If she felt comfortable to lay her hands on a grown woman, that she did not know very well, what is she doing to kids in the class that are with her seven hours a day,” Reagin Marlin said.
Marlin said her son has gone to school here for three years and has loved it, but now she said he’s traumatized and doesn’t want to go to any school. Last Thursday, after school, Marlin went to speak with her son’s teacher.
“She told me, he ripped a book and made her very angry. While she was talking to me, she grabbed him and kind of pushed him into the classroom so she could talk to me and that’s when she told me my parenting was lacking and that’s what was causing his disruptive behavior,” Marlin said.
When Marlin tried to respond, she said the teacher closed the door in her face, leaving Marlin confused and in tears.
The following Monday she went to try and un-enroll her son, but things only got worse.
“At that point she grabbed my arm and pushed me out of the classroom and so I turned around and said, ‘please don’t touch me’. That’s when she put both palms on me and shoved me out of the door,” Marlin said.
Marlin said that she is frustrated from a lack of answers from the church and school. FOX23 reached out to the school but they declined to comment.
For now, that teacher is out of the classroom.
“They didn’t even send her home. DHS is the one that sent her home for on leave, so she has been on leave for two days. But DHS is doing an investigation for assault and the police department are doing an investigation for assault,” Marlin said.
DHS sent FOX23 the following statement:
“Oklahoma Human Services Child Care Licensing staff are dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children who are away from their homes attending child care programs. The agency has been made aware of concerns with this child care program and is investigating the allegations. If any complaints are found to be confirmed (substantiated), information will be posted to their profile on the Child Care Locator.”
Marlin said that since posting her experience, other parents have come forward.
“But there have been dozens and dozens of people that have come forward and told their own stories and wrote letters. There are 18 letters now that are detailing abuse from either past employees or other children. So this is much bigger than me and my son, this is a whole town situation,” Marlin said.
Marlin said that this has caused a frenzy for her as she and her husband both work full time and she’s still searching for a school for her other child to attend.
In their statement, DHS also encouraged families to their Child Care Locator to find licensed child care in their communities or to monitor the current child care program for compliance with health and safety regulations. The Child Care Locator may be accessed 24/7 online and can be found by clicking here.