OWASSO, Okla. — The U.S. Department of Education completed its investigation into Owasso Public Schools’ handling of Title IX cases.
A 20-page report outlines their findings. Buried on page 15 is the story of a high school teacher accused of “grooming” his students.
The report says an unnamed teacher sent “frequent messages over social media to a female high school student.”
In one instance, the teacher asked the student to name her favorite drink, then offered to bring it to class. This was not a one-off.
In fact, the report said the teacher sent more than 130 messages to three female students.
The report never names the teacher; however, it says he worked at the high school and resigned after a meeting with human resources. According to the report, the HR director told the teacher that “any one message may not have been a concern.”
However, they said, “The scope and the number of messages created a problem for the district.” The report said the teacher resigned at the end of the meeting and is not eligible for rehire by Owasso.
2 News is working to uncover this teacher's identity. OPS said it is working to fulfill an open records request filed by 2 News.
USDE investigators concluded their report on this teacher by saying they “found no evidence that the district offered supportive services or explained to the students or their parents the process for filing a formal Title IX complaint.”
2 News also asked for an interview with Owasso Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Coates. The district spokesperson did not respond to that request.
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