The exterior of Markham Elementary School is seen in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Jan. 21, 2011. A second-grade teacher in the Oakland school has been placed on leave while the school investigates reports that students engaged in oral sex and stripped off some of their clothes during class. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo
Oakland, Calif. (AP) – A second-grade teacher in Northern California was placed on leave while the school investigates a report by a student that classmates engaged in oral sex and stripped off some of their clothes during class, officials said Friday.
“We believe if the reports are true, there was a serious lapse of judgment or lack of supervision in the classroom,” said Troy Flint, a spokesman for the Oakland Unified School District.
The name of the Markham Elementary School teacher has not been released. The teacher said he did not see any of the suspected acts take place, Flint said.
The principal learned Wednesday of the allegations after the student came forward, A letter was sent Thursday informing parents there was an investigation.
Counselors were on-hand Friday to speak with students at the school. Investigators were also interviewing students and faculty to find out what might have occurred last week.
The district emphasized the students were not accused of any wrongdoing.
“It’s an incident of kids expressing their natural curiosity that went too far because an adult didn’t step in,” Flint said.
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