Officials admit an error was made in waiting several weeks to inform parents about sex abuse allegations involving a substitute teacher at a Germantown middle school.
According to a letter sent to parents of Roberto Clemente Middle School students Friday, a substitute teacher made inappropriate contact with a student on Sept. 30.
Sources told News4 the victim left the classroom to tell administrators about the incident and was later sent back to the same room.
That teacher has been identified as Jose Pineda, 50, who was charged with sex abuse of a minor Oct. 14.
In a letter dated Nov. 7, school principal Khadija Barkley apologized to parents and the community for not notifying them sooner. Barkley added the school "took swift action" with police to investigate the incident. Barkley said Pineda has been removed from the classroom, and the parents of the child involved were notified immediately after the incident.
"We should have informed the community earlier about this arrest but we made a mistake and did not," Gboyinde Onijala with Montgomery County Public Schools told News4 Friday. "We will review our procedures to ensure that this kind of mistake does not happen again."
Also this week, it was revealed a contract worker for another Montgomery County middle school was arrested for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. That incident occurred at Baker Middle School on Oct. 6, and parents say they weren't notified it happened until Nov. 3.
