Austin substitute teacher arrested, accused of indecency with a child
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A substitute teacher was arrested and charged with indecency with a child after alleged incidents at an Austin school, according to court documents obtained by KXAN.
According to an arrest report, Austin police officers arrived at the IDEA Public Schools campus on Wilcab Road in east Austin on Nov. 1 after a report of a sex crime.
According to the arrest report, IDEA Public Schools told police it gets their substitute teachers from Kokua Group, which had assigned Alexander Jeffrey Hill to be a sub at the school that day.
A few hours into the school day, a Kokua representative called the school saying the Texas Department of Family Protective Services had flagged Hill for a prior incident at a different Idea Public School campus and warned them to get Hill off campus immediately, according to the report.
KXAN is working to find attorney information for Hill.
Documents said the school removed Hill from the fourth-grade classroom he was in, but shortly after three students in that class told administrators that there had been an incident.
The affidavit states one victim said that Hill "grabbed their private parts" and another victim said he was close to them and whispered in their ear that they were the "best artist in the class".
Another victim said that Hill began to push them against the wall with his groin, documents said.
The affidavit said in an interview with Hill he admitted that he stood behind the students to help them draw, he denied touching the students in a sexual way.
KXAN requested an interview with Idea Public Schools. The school provided this statement:
"At IDEA Public Schools, the safety and well-being of all students is our top priority. IDEA is aware of allegations of indecency with a child involving a substitute teacher at one campus and allegations of prior improper behavior involving the same substitute teacher at another campus. The substitute teacher is no longer on the campuses. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement in the investigation. IDEA takes all allegations of abuse seriously and has taken actions in accordance with the law and network policy. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to share further details. All questions should be directed to the appropriate law enforcement agency."
-IDEA Public Schools
KXAN reached out to Kokua Education on Monday and Tuesday, so far they have not returned phone calls or emails.
Rep. James Talarico, a former educator, sent this statement:
"Our students' safety always comes first. I'm deeply concerned by reports that substitute teachers haven't been properly vetted, particularly in light of the current teacher shortage. That's why we need to fully fund our neighborhood schools and why Governor Abbott should stop his extreme attacks on public education. I'll be looking for real, bipartisan solutions to keep this from ever happening again."