Norman Teacher's Aid Still Worked With Kids Despite Abuse Reports

Christopher Flores, who was charged with sexually abusing a child earlier this month, was working around school children at the time of his arrest despite several police reports filed against him.

Thursday, February 28th 2013, 6:47 pm

By: not available not available

Norman Teacher's Aid Still Worked With Kids Despite Abuse Reports

Christopher Flores, who was charged with sexually abusing a child earlier this month, was working around school children at the time of his arrest despite several police reports filed against him.

At the time of his arrest, Flores was a student in OU's teaching program and placed at a Moore elementary school. Flores was arrested on Feb. 14 after court papers say he admitted to inappropriately touching a 9-year-old boy.

OU vice president of public affairs Catherine Bishop says they found out about Flores's arrest through media reports. At the time Flores was a student in the University's Pre-teaching practicum and had been placed at Moore's Heritage Trails Elementary School.

The superintendent of Moore Schools, Susan Pierce, says Flores was placed at the school for tutoring and observation. Pierce says, to their knowledge, Flores was never alone with any student and they have notified parents in his class.

News 9 has uncovered a police report filed alleging possible sexual abuse by Flores in 2002, and four other reports of physical abuse filed in 2007. No charges were ever filed.

Parents filed three lawsuits against Norman Public Schools, alleging the school allowed Flores to continue to work around children after they were alerted he may be dangerous.

In a statement from OU Bishop said "When students enter the OU teacher education program, they must attest that they have no convictions of any kind related to minors. Mr. Flores signed such an agreement."

"They should have done more background checking," said Mary Lucas, who has grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the Moore School. "They shouldn't have sent him to a different school in a different school district."

OU says students must also agree to a background check conducted by school districts. The Moore superintendent says they were not aware that OU did not conduct a background check.

Pierce says they are now changing their protocol to check with each college they work with to make sure background checks have been done.

Flores has been suspended from OU and banned from the university grounds.