An investigation is underway after a substitute teacher was allegedly caught watching adult content in class at a West Covina elementary school.
The incident was reported at Cameron Elementary School on Friday, according to a release from the West Covina Unified School District.
“[The district] has taken swift and decisive action following reports from students that allegedly a subsitute teacher was viewing inappropriate images on his cell phone while on school properties,” WCUSD said in a statement. “The substitute teacher in question was immediately removed from the classroom setting as well as the school as a first step in addressing this serious concern.”
A concerned parent told KTLA that the teacher would not allow any students to leave the classroom, although one did sneak out and called his father to tell him what was going on.
Another parent who contacted KTLA claimed that the teacher groped one female student, although that report was not confirmed.
The principal of Cameron Elementary acknowledged the incident in an email obtained by KTLA, saying that she contacted all parents of the students in the classroom in addition to the West Covina Police Department.
While it is not known exactly which class the substitute was in at the time, an Instagram post on a local community page claims that the incident took place in a 5th grade classroom.
The same post generated a large social media response from community members, many of whom seemed to believe they were not informed of the incident promptly.
It is unclear whether any legal action will be taken against the substitute; he was not arrested on the day of the alleged offense due to lack of evidence.
In a statement issued Sunday, the West Covina Police Department reassured the community that it was taking the allegations “seriously” but urged the public to trust in the investigation process.
“Investigations of this nature require time and diligence to ensure a fair and accurate assessment,” the statement reads in part. “It is essential to allow the investigative process to unfold without jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.”
Parents are set to hold a protest outside of Cameron Elementary School on Tuesday.