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Substitute banned from Orange County schools
An Orange County substitute teacher is banned from OCPS property after making "concerning comments" using "threatening words" to students, authorities said.
APOPKA, Fla. - An Orange County substitute teacher is banned from OCPS property after making "concerning comments" using "threatening words" to students, authorities said.
The backstory:
A substitute teacher in Orange County is now banned from all Orange County Public Schools sites after the district said he was at the center of a "deeply troubling incident."
A phone call sent to some parents at Piedmont Lakes Middle School on Friday said the substitute made "concerning comments using threatening words toward students."
Video shared with FOX 35 News shows the substitute at the front of the class saying, "Just stop right now, or I'll seriously crush all of you. You know I could do that, right? ... I will kill all of you."
The phone call from the school mentioned the comments in question were made in more than one class period.
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OCPS said as soon as school leaders found out, Orange County sheriff's deputies escorted the sub off school property.
The substitute was not employed by the school district. OCPS contracts out the hiring of subs to Kelly Services.
Kelly Services said the substitute has been removed from all assignments as they do their own investigation.
OCPS said the comments are part of an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it's done with its investigation and found no crime was committed. We are not naming the sub because he's not charged with any crimes.
What they're saying:
Rafael and Melissa Cervantes said their son was in one of the sub's classes Friday.
"It's scary because our kids should feel safe at school," Melissa said.
"Who says something like that to anybody but especially to children at a school?" Melissa asked rhetorically. "I mean, that's just not normal."
The parents said they were confused as to why the substitute isn't charged with making threats.
"Administrators have made it clear," Melissa said. "Law enforcement has made it clear to children at the school if they were to make any threats they would be arrested."
"It doesn't matter if it's a joke or not a joke," Rafael said. "With the stuff that's going on right now with the mass shootings in school, it's not funny."
OCPS shared the following statement:
"Families at Piedmont Lakes Middle School were notified of a deeply troubling incident last week. It is the subject of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Office of Professional Standards. While the district cannot discuss open investigations, when this was brought to the attention of administration, they acted immediately by escorting the substitute off campus. Please note that the individual is not an employee of Orange County Public Schools, as the district contracts with Kelly Services to provide substitute teachers. They have been notified of the incident, and will conduct their own investigation. This individual will never return to Piedmont Lakes Middle School or any other OCPS site."
Kelly Services shared the following statement:
"The safety and well-being of the students we serve is our top priority. We take all reports of inappropriate behavior by our substitute educators seriously and are cooperating with the district and authorities in their investigation. The substitute teacher has been removed from all assignments pending the outcome of the investigation.
"Our screening procedures comply with the Florida Department of Education’s rigorous standards and include comprehensive background and fingerprint checks, which cover local, state, and national criminal records, as well as the National Sex Offender Registry and crimes against children. In addition to state standards, our vetting system strictly adheres to all district requirements, ensuring we maintain the highest safety standards."
The Orange County Sheriff's Office shared the following statement:
"The Orange County Sheriff’s Office thoroughly investigated this incident, and it was determined no crime occurred."
What's next:
The substitute's comments are the subject of an OCPS investigation and are also being investigated by Kelly Services.
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The Source: FOX 35 confirmed information for this story with OCPS, OCSO, Kelly Services, concerned parents and sourced the video from the parents of the child who hit record.