Pittsburg County prosecutors have charged a former Krebs Public School special education teacher with four counts of child abuse.
Krebs police said 59-year-old Stacy Parker of Hartshorne was captured on surveillance video being physically aggressive with two Krebs students.
Parker is out of jail on a $25,000 bond after getting arrested on Feb. 8.
“We determined it was appropriate to file four counts of child abuse by injury for four separate events, two separate children, a couple of various different dates,” said Pittsburg County District Attorney Chuck Sullivan.
Sullivan said the two victims are 5 and 7 years old.
“They’re allegations of dragging children by the feet, the shoulders, yanking iPads forcibly out of hands, and pinning them in a desk,” said Sullivan.
An affidavit showed the investigation started in August after another teacher reported the alleged abuse.
After three search warrants and the help of the OSBI, Krebs police reviewed surveillance video and reported, “…Parker shows intention by not displaying her violent behaviors around administration, but continuously would verbally and physically attack students several times…”
In a statement, Krebs Public School superintendent Patrick Turner said that the school suspended Parker, then she submitted her resignation and had not been an employee since Aug. 31.
Krebs parents News On 6 talked to said they just found out from the news.
“There have been a lot of issues with a lot of failed communication with the staff members and parents,” said Amanda Crawley. “I’m pretty sure not any parent even was aware that there was an abuse issue on campus until after the news articles started coming out and the charges were already done.”
The affidavit also stated the district told police administrators that it could not get a hold of Parker’s references during her hiring process.
“Why would you let someone around your kids that you don’t even know how they are?” asked Lauren Harris, a parent.
Parker pleaded not guilty, and parents demanded change for the district.
“Some accountability,” said Misty Wilson, a parent. “Whatever that may be. Because those children shouldn’t have had to go through that.”
The school district and Parker’s attorney have not returned News On 6’s calls for comment.