Former teacher at Anaheim’s Imperial Elementary School accused of physically abusing students with special needs

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) — An investigation into allegations of physical abuse of special needs pupils at Imperial Primary School has left parents heartbroken and demanding answers.

Juliette Herrera and Amanda Allen said their 7-year-old child was among the four children Anaheim police said were possible victims.

“My daughter is very scared and begs not to go to school every day,” Herrera said.

“If my child had been injured, I should have been notified so I could take him to urgent care, but no one notified me of any injuries and I am angry,” Allen said.

Teacher aides accused a teacher of physically and verbally abusing students diagnosed with behavioral disorders, police said.

Parents said the students in the class were first and second graders.

As of Wednesday, no arrests had been made.

Police said witnesses reported this incident had been going on for at least a year.

Allen said investigators told him his son was frequently targeted by the suspect.

“They said my child was running around the classroom and the teacher tried to physically pick him up, grabbed the desk, pushed him on his stomach, and propped him up against a filing cabinet. I remember my child coming home complaining of a stomach ache for a while, by the way,” Allen said.

Amanda’s husband, John Allen, said he often blamed himself when they asked about their son’s increasing behavior problems at school.

“He just says, ‘I had a bad day. I’m bad,'” John Allen said.

The notification to parents by school administrators took place last Thursday, but several people suspected something was not right.

They said their children were misbehaving.

Herrera said that after the incident last September, the suspect blamed his daughter, but her daughter had a different story.

“He said, ‘Mom, I didn’t throw myself on the ground. He threw me on the ground,’ and then he said, ‘The teacher is a liar,'” Herrera said. he said.

Herrera said her daughter has been posting more lately.

“He said he didn’t want to get in trouble, and then he said, ‘I can’t tell you all the bad things, mom. I can’t tell you all the bad things,’ and then slowly, she said, ‘I’m bringing out more,'” Herrera said.

Orange Unified School District Superintendent Michael Christensen sent the following statement to Eyewitness News:

“Orange Unified School District does not generally comment on personnel matters; however, the district is aware of allegations of misconduct made by a former staff member. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our top priority. As we are aware of potential concerns, we are committed to addressing them with families.” “We have also taken steps and are actively cooperating with law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation.”

These parents were told the suspect no longer worked there, but they had more questions and demanded transparency from the people they trusted about their child’s care.

“I demand better educational options for my son that can guarantee his safety, even if cameras are placed in the SPED classroom, so we can ensure our children do not get hurt again,” Allen said.

After this story was published on Eyewitness News Wednesday evening, the Anaheim Police Department provided an update stating that charges will likely not be filed against the teacher for resigning.