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Another Charge Filed Against Skelly Administrator

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Reported by: Abbie Alford

Email: aalford@fox23.com

Updated: 5/18/2010 10:40 am

Published: 5/17/2010 4:31 pm

Update--Yerton's attorney Richard O'Carroll says Yerton has turned himself into authorities and is being held in the Tulsa County Jail.
O'Carroll says he will file a motion for an unlawful bond.

Tulsa, OK-The Tulsa County District Attorney filed another count of lewd molestation against Skelly Elementary Assistant Principal Robert Yerton Jr.
Court records show Yerton's fifth charge accuses him of molesting a 7-year-old boy during the 2001-2002 school year at Disney Elementary.
Records show Yerton is accused of molesting the boy in the bathroom by rubbing and touching the alleged victim's private parts and buttocks with his hand.
Yerton faces three counts of lewd molestation also involving a 6-year-old boy and 8-year-old boy at Skelly Elementary during the fall of 2009.
He is also charged with two counts of child sex abuse involving an underage boy at his home.
Yerton bonded out jail last Tuesday on $150,000. Records show Yerton's new bond is set for $500,000.
Another search warrant was filed today. Police are searching for personnel records and his laptop computer at the Garnett Church of Christ where he was Sunday school teacher. Records show Yerton was terminated from the position a few years ago.

Tulsa Public Schools says it is currently in the process of terminating Yerton. He has been with the district since 1993.

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of KOKI FOX23 - Tulsa

lifezgood - 5/21/2010 5:31 PM

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I have watched these comments closely. I have been reserved in stating my view and experience. I personally know both Louis Galluzzi and Robert Yerton on a professional level. I never had a bad feeling about Robert. I never felt he was odd or would ever disrespect a child. I always felt he did have poor peer relationships and was not clearly understood by his professional peers. As far as Galluzzi covering up something, that could be very true. I have seen him pull some very unethical things and get by with it. His behavior towards children is questionable. I still get creepy feelings about him and would NEVER leave my child alone with him unattended. I always thought Robert appeared to be good person and made good calls when it came to his professional life. If this did happen and there is a cover up by Galluzzi, he too needs to pay for this horrible crime. I ask myself a lot of questions and try to think if I missed any signs about Robert. Then I think about Louis and his behaviors, lifestyle and treatment of others. TPS should have cleaned Disney up years ago. Louis has lived a shady lifestyle and TPS higher ups have ignored it totally. Louis is the type of administrator who will gossip and say negative things about staff. From a distance I have watched this principal and felt such odd sickening feelings when he was around little boys. I hate to say or accuse anyone of negative behavior. However, in this situation if there was a cover up and Galluzzi knew something was going on with Yerton he most likely would not report or respond to crime.

lifezgood - 5/21/2010 4:53 PM

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this is very sad for the all people involved.

MsBlack - 5/17/2010 11:33 PM

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Also, when it comes to the safety of children in a mandatory setting, no one should be allowed to hide behind privacy. TPS needs to repeal their privacy policy in regard to complaints and disciplinary action against its employees. Information should be made accessible to the public. Just as a person can contact the BBB about businesses, so should a parent be able to contact and receive information about complaints on any school staff and administrators.

MsBlack - 5/17/2010 11:19 PM

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TPS is going to do what it feels it has to...deny and deter liability. What else is expected? Does anyone really expect to hear a statement from TPS saying that they knew of the allegations and did not abide by state law? Ofcourse not! Nor will TPS use this incident to teach students about inappropriate physical contact..but ofcourse they will continue to teach students sexual education. Who is to blame for this issue? All adults who were aware and chose to ignore are to blame. TPS claims to prioritize our children's safety...from who? They will quickly contact TPD and DHS if a child is left too long after school by a parent. Yet they will not contact either if employees are accused of inappropriate conduct with students. I believe that when it comes to disciplinary actions against TPS staff an independent committee should be formed to oversee the disciplinary procedures and investigations. The committee should consist of representatives of TPD, DHS, parents, attorneys, and medical (preferably child psychology). They should be a group of independent parties who are paid by the state to oversee disciplinary actions against Public School employees and verify that all actions taken are fair and abide by district and state policy and law.

MsBlack - 5/17/2010 10:07 PM

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Relaxation techniques? I do not give my children massages. This again is a prime example of the Tulsa Public School system ignoring complaints and tossing them to the side as if they did not exist. They do not have to answer to the parents, they have realtively no oversight in regard to staff disciplinary issues. Now they want to conduct better checks of volunteers, when it is the individuals that they are paying who are committing these acts against our children. A parent complains to administrators and they are ignored or even worse, laughed at. Since administrators use their provacy policy as a tool to hide behind. No one knows if the issues are even being handled at all. It is quite obvious that the issues have not been.

Jolie - 5/17/2010 6:49 PM

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Ask Principal Louis Galluzzi how many reports he received from teachers at Disney about Yerton while he worked there. Galluzzi has worked there as Principal since 1994. The TW earlier reported that one long-time teacher who worked at Disney Elementary while Yerton was there said that over 40 reports were made to Galluzzi, who brushed off the concerns about inappropriate physical contact by Yerton with male students, saying Robert Yerton Jr. was only practicing "relaxation techniques." Mr. Galluzzi needs to be held accountable for ignoring those many reports about inappropriate touching and behavior toward male students, if it can be confirmed that they were given to him. Most of Robert Yerton Jr.'s educational career was spent at Disney Elementary.

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