Termination Process Begins For Tulsa Administrator Charged With Molestation

By Chris Wright, The News On 6 

TULSA, OK – Tulsa Public Schools announced Thursday afternoon that they've begun termination proceedings against Skelly Elementary Assistant Principal Robert Yerton.

The school system also released a timeline of three separate investigations that have been conducted on Yerton during his teaching career.

In the TPS investigative timeline, TPS spokeswoman Tami Marler stresses that although the school system had looked into Yerton's behavior with male students in October, 2009, they had no knowledge of any criminal complaints until April 27.

"Skelly and TPS administrators learned for the first time on April 27 that Yerton was being investigated for allegations of lewd acts against a Skelly student," Marler said in a two-page news release.

"While a Skelly employee had complained about Yerton and had produced anonymous allegations from other staff members, none of the complaints submitted to Skelly and TPS administrators alleged criminal acts, child abuse or lewd molestation."

Read the TPS Investigative Timeline

Yerton was arrested Wednesday and faces charges of lewd molestation and sexual abuse. The charges are related to two alleged victims.

Yerton has spent his entire career working with kids, and Tulsa Police say that has them worried others may have been abused.

Yerton is accused of molesting two children, a six-year-old student last fall, and a now-18-year-old over a period of several years.

A third person claims Yerton molested him at Disney Elementary school in 1996.

"There is a big potential for there to be lots of victims out there," Officer Jason Willingham, Tulsa Police, said.

Investigators say in cases like this, when the accused has an extensive history of working with children, there's always the chance that other possible victims have failed to come forward.

"We're certainly hopeful that's all," Officer Willingham said. "But I think it would be irresponsible on our part not to at least try to find out, and make 100 percent sure we don't have more."

Yerton spent the majority of his 17 years in teaching at Disney Elementary. But he did leave and take a children's minister position at Garnett Church of Christ from 2002 until 2004. He passed a background check, but was eventually fired.

Minister Greg Taylor, who was not employed by the church at the time, says the termination had nothing to do with his behavior around children.

"There's no knowledge, indication of any sexual misconduct by mister Yerton and the church leadership past or present has no knowledge of anything like that," Greg Taylor, Garnett Church of Christ Minister, said.

After returning to teaching in 2005, Yerton has remained involved in youth ministry. The News On 6 found a video of him discussing a recent mission trip to China.

Despite his charitable work, those who know him say the truth about his past and alleged abuse needs to come out.

"We want what the community wants in this situation, which is to know the truth and to have justice and protect the rights of children and their safety," Taylor said.

If anyone has any information about this case, they are urged to call TPD's Child Crisis Unit at 918-669-6504.

Yerton's lawyer says his client is innocent of all these charges.

5/6/10 Related Story: Tulsa Police Release Timeline of Tulsa Administrator's Career History