OKLAHOMA CITY – Several metro students skipped class to protest on Thursday. It happened at Northwest Classen High School.
The students said they were upset after a teacher took a stand.
“What happened recently was with this girl that was getting bullied,” said a student who didn’t want to be identified. “Mr. Mills was taking her to class and taking up for her, and Mr. Mills tried to talk to the principal about it, and the principal didn’t like it, so he got suspended.”
Students said Gregory Mills left in tears.
The district confirms Mills is a science teacher at the school and has been placed on leave pending an investigation for possible violations of school board policy.
Parent Maria Ogburn joined the students and said she wants answers.
“Our concern is that you let a teacher back in that has a sexual allegation against him. He was returned back to work, but a teacher that was protecting a student from bullying went above the principal’s head and was escorted out yesterday,” Ogburn said.
As far as the teacher who was allegedly suspended for touching a student inappropriately, the district said they concluded an investigation and he is back in the classroom. They also said they sent a letter to parents.
Some of the students said, if they joined the protest, they wouldn’t be allowed to graduate and would be suspended. The district said this wasn’t the case and officials were looking out for the safety of the students.
