CHULA VISTA, Calif. (AP) — A substitute teacher has been removed from the teaching rosters of three different local school districts following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward students.
The teacher, who is in his 60s, was initially banned from subbing at Parkview Elementary in Chula Vista after parents reported concerning incidents on February 19.
"He put his arms around my 12-year-old daughter at her desk and started waving a slinky toy, asking if she liked it," said parent Anna, 41, in an interview with ABC 10News on Thursday.
Another parent, Nancy, 32, said her son saw the teacher got up to a student, stretching against his chair and "tickle underneath the armpits” during class.
Nicole, whose sixth-grade son was taught by the substitute in another class that day, said he "witnessed him rubbing the arms or girls and boys and some of the boys' backs" and "trying to ask some of them if he can give them a ride home."
She also said the teacher "kept dangling" the slinky toy "in front of the students' faces in a weird way.”
The Chula Vista school district removed the teacher from the substitute list and contacted police, who are now investigating the allegations. Because no charges have been filed, ABC 10News is not naming him.
ABC 10News learned the same substitute teacher had been teaching in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. Superintendent David Feliciano confirmed the teacher worked sporadically in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District since late 2023. After being informed of the Chula Vista allegations, the district "immediately took him out of the system," according to Feliciano.
To the south, the San Ysidro School District also confirmed the teacher had been substituting there, having previously worked for the district for nearly 30 years. The district said it suspended the employee's duties on Friday "pending a district investigation" after being made aware of the situation.
Both districts said the teacher had no prior complaints.
"The bottom line is he made the kids feel uncomfortable and he doesn't belong around any kid," Nicole said.
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