Child claims Warren substitute teacher touched his genitals

WARREN, MIch. (WJBK) - Donnie Thomas thought something wasn't right when his son said told him his substitute teacher touched him inappropriately. 

Thomas' son is in third grade at Cromie Elementary School in Warren.

"I could tell something was bothering him - and that's when I found out some man touched him at school," Thomas said.

The substitute teacher allegedly lost his glasses and decided to pat down some third graders to try and find them. 

"He said he touched him inappropriately," said Renae Thomas, the boy's mother.  "He was very upset, he said he touched his penis."

"And I said what do you mean, he touched your penis," Donnie said. "He said said 'Yeah pops, he touched my mans.'  We call it mans."

It is a serious allegation, but at this time, it's still an allegation.  This allegedly happened in the last period on Monday, just before school got out.  The child did tell the principal that day.

"The principal proceeded to tell your parents, tell your mom and I'll give her a call tomorrow," said Renae.

The principal did call the parents and the Warren Consolidated school district authorities were notified.

"We received the allegation yesterday and are conducting an internal investigation now," said John Bernia, chief academic officer, Warren Consolidated Schools.

And that substitute teacher has been temporarily removed from the school district. Bernia said the school district will work with the police and if true, that sub will be fired.

"That would be up to the prosecutor and the courts to decide, but we will cooperate in the investigation," Bernia said.

No criminal charges have been filed but sexually touching is bad, but by a substitute teacher, that's legally worse.

SEE MORE: Substitute teacher caught on camera roughing up 3rd graders

"They need to do more checks on them," Donnie Thomas said. "Check their brains out before they hire them. Seems like they got a problem with subs.  It's like you see on TV, a sub being violent with kids. They have got to leave these babies alone."