Ninnekah Public Schools settles sexual-assault lawsuit for $7.5 million

"A school district accused by former students of turning a blind eye to sexual assault has settled a lawsuit in Oklahoma City federal court," The Oklahoman reports. "Ninnekah Public Schools has agreed to pay $7.5 million to resolve the lawsuit, filed in 2021 by 14 Jane Does who accused former girls basketball coach Ronald Akins of grooming and sexual assault and four former officials of ignoring their complaints."

Okay High School student arrested, suspected of bringing gun, drugs to campus

FOX 23 has the story.

Guns found at two Oklahoma schools; students could face charges

The News on 6 has the story.

Wetumka educator ensnared by an alleged victim

A Wetumka Public Schools teacher and coach—the husband of the school district’s former superintendent—has been arrested for allegedly abusing minors for decades, RealClear Investigations reports.

Parents sue Bristow Public Schools, former coach over locker room recordings

"Parents of 13 current and former male Bristow Public Schools students filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging the district ignored claims for years that a former coach there subjected students to 'inappropriate experiences' that included being video recorded while in a school locker room and being watched while in the shower," the Tulsa World reports.

Teacher's aide accused of sexually assaulting nonverbal teen

News 9 has the story.

Former juvenile-justice guard got a job at Broken Arrow Public Schools

"Eight days after former detention officer Dquan Doyle was placed on administrative leave for a sexual battery investigation against minors at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice (the Tulsa County Detention Center), he got a job for Broken Arrow Public Schools as a paraprofessional (a teacher’s aide)," KJRH reports.

Homosexual teacher (and adoptive father) in Moore takes own life after indictment

"This story has no winners, only damage," V1SUT reports.

'Wish they had a better scope'

In a social media post, an Ardmore public school teacher appears to have wished for the death of former President Donald Trump.

Educators suppress huge sex-abuse scandal

“The rate of educator sexual misconduct is 10 times higher in one year’s time than in five decades of abuse by clergy,” says Terri Miller, head of the advocacy group SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation).

Sex crimes against Oklahoma students continue after graduation

The indefatigable journalist at V1SUT has the story.

Shawnee's response to abuse is troubling

After all these years, one would think that Shawnee school officials would go to great lengths to demonstrate they take student safety seriously. Instead, the district is seeking to unmask whistleblowers.

Oklahoma teacher charged for alleged rape of minor student

"A teacher at Duke Public Schools has been charged for two alleged incidents involving a minor student," KSWO reports.

Former Anadarko school staff members facing sexual battery charges

Two former Anadarko Public Schools staff members of are facing a series of sexual battery charges, KSWO reports.

The dark side of Friday-night lights in Kingfisher

"The Kingfisher High School football team was brutalizing children in ways that had nothing to do with football," according to a new website. "The coaches knew. The administrators knew. The school knew. Why didn't anyone stop it?"

'He's a woman': Lawton Ike tranny arrested for sexually abusing student

More great reporting from the journalist at V1SUT, who "reached out to Lawton Schools Superintendent Kevin Hime to ask who at the district knew Miranda was a female, why parents were allowed to believe Miranda was a man, and whether the OSDE was notified Miranda would be teaching and coaching as a male."

Columnist describes chaos in OKCPS classrooms

Interesting column by Annette Gorny this week in The Oklahoman. "So many OKCPS students are coming to school desperate to learn, truly wanting to be engaged with the material," she writes.

However, in my experience, the few who are swearing at their teachers with no consequences given by the school have poisoned the system. Will this be dealt with by our new superintendent? Will students who climb up on their desks and scream at substitutes until a substitute teacher walks out of that classroom and out of the school building finally face any consequence? What about the multiple other students in that classroom who will record the incident on their phones and put it on social media―will there finally be consequences for them, too?

Teachers are told they shouldn’t even dismiss these students from a classroom in the OKCPS schools. Some of their students draw truly graphic images in permanent ink on their desks, with just a little talk to them afterward by an administrator; no serious consequence. It requires high-tech scanners to even hope to keep out weapons and drugs in the OKC public schools. But those scanners don’t stop fists. And violent and emotionally compromised students still roam the halls and disrupt every class they are in, even after multiple incidents of disruption. ...

It has been truly alarming to see students back in classrooms who have committed assaults against their fellow students, and even teachers, in the public school system. If any student puts their hands on another student or teacher, you’d think they should be immediately dismissed from that public school for a certain period of time. These incidents are often visible on school cameras or testified to by multiple other students, but still a student who shoved a fellow student into a wall or down a stairwell will return to class the same day.

Child pummelled on Jenks school bus

FOX 23 has the story.

Perkins teacher arrested for sexting 15-year-old student

FOX 25 has the story.

Jay Middle School teacher jailed on allegations of soliciting a minor

Sheila Stogsdill has the story.

Data show homeschooled students fare well

Interesting article in The Duncan Banner.

Grooming, abuse in Oklahoma education

"Some of the men accused are still working within public education," V1SUT reports. "Some still coach girls. With alarming consistency, laws and policies were subverted as the accused were allowed to quietly step down and move on to other school districts."

Public school system covering up a massive sex-abuse scandal

"What we haven’t received, for two decades, is a comprehensive update from the government on the number of children who are sexually abused in public schools," Matt Walsh writes.

It was all the way back in 2004 that the Department of Education released a report finding that, between kindergarten and 12th grade, 9.6% of students nationwide were subjected to sexual misconduct by a school employee. That’s one in ten students, totaling more than 5 million child victims in the system at any given time. Teachers, coaches, and bus drivers were the most common offenders.

A finding like that should have led to a national outcry and immediate changes. And indeed, the Department of Education’s report recommended several new policies for screening employees and standardizing policies to make these kinds of incidents easier to report and keep track of. But that never happened. And the federal government has barely shown any interest in the topic in the 20 years since.

Dibble student taken to hospital to have pencil removed after assault

KFOR has the story.

Former Durant school employee convicted on child sex charges

KTEN has the story.

Perkins teacher arrested following accusations of relationship with 13-year-old student

KOCO has the story.

Oklahoma lawmakers try to crack down on sexting teachers

Ray Carter has the story.

Student in custody after bringing loaded weapon to Tulsa middle school

FOX 23 has the story.

Another Oklahoma school district paying up over accusations of student abuse

Nolan Clay has the story.

Lawton substitute teacher admits to giving vape to 7th-grader

KSWO has the story.

Ardmore teacher arrested, charged with abuse of disabled 7-year-old student

"An Ardmore elementary school teacher was arrested and charged with child abuse. According to court records," KXII reports, the teacher "allegedly grabbed a developmentally disabled seven-year-old boy by the arm, slung him around and dragged him, while yelling in his face. The abuse reportedly went on continuously over a span of 30 minutes."

Lexington coach faces five felony counts

Five felony counts have been filed against Vernon “Tyler” Thetford, a teacher and coach in Lexington, V1SUT reports. "The charges include two counts of lewd acts, two counts of lewd or indecent proposals to a child under 16, and one count of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology."

'He was rubbing her back'

"A substitute teacher was removed from Jenks West Intermediate on April 25 after sixth graders complained of inappropriate behavior," KJRH reports.

Former Boone-Apache School teacher accused of relationship with underage student

"A former teacher with the Boone-Apache School District faces two felony counts, following an alleged inappropriate relationship between him and an underage student," KSWO reports. The accused is the secretary for the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.

Sallisaw school resource officer investigated over allegations of inappropriate contact with a student

"A Sallisaw school resource officer is being investigated over allegations of inappropriate contact with a student," 40/29 News reports.

Student arrested after being found with loaded gun at Midwest City High School

KOCO has the story.

Seminole teacher aide under investigation for allegedly taping students' mouths shut

KFOR has the story.

Bartlesville school resource officers given ballistic shields

The News on 6 has the story.

Former Stilwell elementary teacher pleads guilty to sexual abuse

"A former Stilwell Elementary School teacher pleaded guilty to sexual abuse," FOX 23 reports.

Muskogee teacher charged with showing obscene material to student

"A Muskogee High School teacher and head coach for the boys tennis club is charged with showing obscene material to a 16-year-old," FOX 23 reports.

Oklahoma State Board of Education tackles teacher misconduct

Catherine Smith has the story.

Former Oklahoma middle school teacher sentenced to 15 years for child sex abuse

"A former South Coffeyville, Okla. middle school teacher was sentenced for two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country," KTUL reports.

Shawneee teacher/coach faces investigation

V1SUT has the story.

Lindsay Public Schools placed on lockdown

“The threat has been secured.”

Ada, Byng teacher sentenced for sexual abuse

"A Pontotoc County teacher was sentenced to more than five years in prison for sex abuse crimes," KXII reports. "Erin Fixico-Mitchell, 33, of Ada pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. According to attorneys, Mitchell sexually abused a student between September and November of 2015 while she was a teacher and coach at Ada High School, and after leaving Ada to teach and coach at Byng High School, she sexually abused another student between June and September of 2021."

Lawton teacher charged with sexual battery

 KSWO has the story.

Former Norman finalist for Teacher of the Year found guilty of sexual assault

"A former Norman High assistant principal and 2018 finalist for Teacher of the Year is convicted of sex crimes," News 9 reports.

'Bullying has reached epic levels in Oklahoma schools'

This according to a trial attorney who handles several such cases.

Tulsa student 'went to the hospital 3 different times, while the adults did nothing to protect him'

"A woman said her 6-year-old nephew, who she’s raising, has been left with multiple injuries over the last 6 months after being beaten and bullied at kindergarten at Hoover Elementary School in the Tulsa Public School District," FOX 23 reports. "She said since November 2023, he’s had two trips to the emergency room and has come home with cuts, scrapes, and bruises."

According to the family's attorney, the boy "was bullied and beaten by the same kids for the past year and a half. He went to the hospital 3 different times, while the adults did nothing to protect him."

Walters launches investigation into high school toe-sucking events

Debra Heine has the story.

A true lesson in accountability

"When the school proved unable to provide satisfactory services to students and families, parents took action—and held The Hive accountable more efficiently and effectively than any government accountability office could," Matt Frendewey writes.

Deer Creek students pressured to participate in disgusting dares

"Students in Oklahoma schools have come forward and describe a culture of bullying, hazing, manipulation, and pressure to participate in disgusting dares like licking toes and armpits, spitting in people’s mouths, and having garbage thrown on you," the indispensable Libs of Tik Tok reports, posting a video from FOX 25 Capitol reporter Payton May.

'We’re never going to get rid of predators'

Oklahoma Watch has new details about the sexting case of Oklahoma's education-walkout leader.

Feet-licking videos uncovered from past Edmond Public Schools fundraising events

Edmond proves it can go toe to toe with its rival Deer Creek.

Former Bixby first-grade teacher convicted on child exploitation charges

FOX 23 has the story.

Mannford school resource officer facing charges of first-degree rape

"A Mannford Police Officer was arrested and is facing charges of first-degree rape," the News on 6 reports. Mannford's police chief confirmed the suspect "was arrested in connection to an incident involving a student at Mannford schools," where he also worked as a school resource officer.

Attention, Deer Creek: 'Humiliation of students is not entertainment!'

Even this lefty lawyer is calling out Deer Creek: "Defending this as it’s been going on for years, doesn’t make it right. Kingfisher hazed its football players for decades. Ninnekah allowed a girls basketball coach to prey on players for a decade. Humiliation of students is not entertainment! Something is wrong in Deer Creek!"

Accusations against former Bristow schools employee stack up following his arrest

"Attorneys say more people are coming forward with accusations involving a longtime Bristow Public Schools employee who was arrested after accusations of videotaping boys undressing in a locker room," the News on 6 reports.

Oklahoma public-school advocates shine spotlight on suicide, violence

"Oklahoma schools have suffered at least 6 student deaths from suicide or violence in the past 2 weeks and 1 suicide attempt AT school," according to the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition.

Parents don't realize 'it is happening way more often than they know'

A former Oklahoma teacher sounds the alarm.

Former Nowata teacher sentenced for abusive sexual contact and enticement of a minor

Here's a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Salina teacher's sexual misconduct results in $2.6M settlement

The Oklahoman has the story.

Lawsuit filed against Tulsa Public Schools after student assaulted on campus

"A parent of an East Central Middle School student has filed a negligence lawsuit against the school district after her child was beaten up after allegedly being asked to rat out a classmate," the Tulsa World reports.

Oklahoma public school library books

With Oklahoma public school library books making headlines again, here are a few other books parents might want to know about:

• Damsel
• A Court of Mist and Fury
• Tricks 

Search your school district libraries here.

Judge: 'It is apparent that this was a pattern that was going on for quite some time"

Shawnee coach Ron Arthur is sentenced to five years in prison, NonDoc reports.

Oklahoma lawmaker wants to ban one-on-one digital conversations between teachers, students

KFOR has the story.

It’s OK not to want a drag queen principal

"An elementary school principal in Oklahoma stepped down because of community backlash after news broke that he had been prosecuted for child pornography," Max Eden writes in the Washington Examiner.

Public education's predatory coaches

V1SUT reports on the "hidden crimes, quiet exits, and harmful hires" in Oklahoma's public education system.

Lawsuit claims Pawhuska did too little to protect pre-K student from sexual assault

"Pawhuska Public Schools and a substitute teacher have been named as defendants in a recently filed federal court lawsuit," the Pawhuska Journal-Capital reports. "The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, accuses the school district of doing too little to protect one Pre-K pupil from a sexual assault by another Pre-K pupil."

Kiefer parent claims bullying is a recurring issue in the district

"The mom said she wants to see the school have some accountability," FOX 23 reports. Not likely in one of Oklahoma's unaccountable public schools.

Student brought gun to Choctaw High School

KOCO has the story.

Krebs teacher charged with child abuse

Witnesses say a Krebs Public School special education teacher "would continuously verbally and physically attack students several times." FOX 23 has the story.

Five Enid elementary-school students listed as victims in police report

The Enid News & Eagle has the story.

Tulsa Public Schools employee arrested, accused of abusing student

The News on 6 has the story.

16-year-old Owasso student dies at hospital one day after fight at high school

The News on 6 has the story.

Oklahoma teacher says fellow teachers have racial biases, bigoted ideas

"The truth is there are good teachers in Oklahoma on all points of the political spectrum, and all of them are interested in teaching the 'basics,' Aaron Baker writes.

Unfortunately, however, teachers step into the classroom with “baggage” that easily complicates authentic learning in any subject. Teachers enter education with racial biases, microaggressive habits, inequitable practices, and bigoted ideas about student identity and expression. This “baggage” has also been described as an “invisible knapsack” that needs to be “unpacked.” Unpacking the invisible knapsack involves training. Getting “back to basics” requires training.

'Records outline criminal case against former TPS executive, more accusations'

The Tulsa World has the story.

Glenpool parents say they found out about school shooting threat days after school found out

FOX 23 has the story.

Glenpool students face disciplinary action following threats to 'shoot up' the school

FOX 23 has the story.

Exploring the connections between bullying and school shootings

Public Radio Tulsa has the story.

Oklahoma suspends teaching certificates for six accused of assaulting students

KFOR has the story.

Nicoma Park elementary teacher accused of being drunk at school

KFOR has the story.

Cache teacher resigns amid OSBI investigation

KSWO has the story.

Wetumka update: Confessed pedophile surrenders teaching certifications, superintendent wife to retire

As usual, V1SUT has the story.

Vigil held in remembrance of bullied 12-year-old student who committed suicide

The News on 6 has the story.

Putnam City student who fired gun entered school through metal detector

"The student walked through a metal detector while armed with a handgun, according to administrators," KOCO reports.

Caught thinking he was sexting 15-year-old boy, Western Heights employee resigns

Bennett Brinkman at NonDoc has the story.

Student arrested after firing gun inside Putnam City school

KOKH has the story.

Ringling football players sue school, saying officials failed to stop coach's abuse

The Oklahoman has the story.

Latta Middle School student seized with gun on campus

KTEN has the story.

Lexington teacher under fire for inappropriately messaging students

KOCO has the story.

Woodward teacher charged with lewd acts to a child

"A teacher from Woodward Middle School was arrested Thursday and charged with seven counts of lewd acts to a child," News 9 reports. "Police say they found multiple victims throughout the investigation. According to police, the victims were Woodward students from 2012 to 2017."

Braggs teacher arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct with a student

"A Braggs middle-school teacher is in jail for accusations of sexual misconduct with a student," the News on 6 reports.

Western Heights drag-queen principal hires same pedophile at three elementary schools

V1SUT has the story.