Dismissed Tulsa Teacher Fights For His Job

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A fired Tulsa teacher pledges to fight for his job.  The Tulsa School Board fired a Hale High School teacher for sexual misconduct.  The district says a string of at least eight girls reported instances going back for two years.  The teacher's attorney says the accusations have been blown out of proportion.

After six years as a social studies teacher at Hale High School, Scott Factor is out of a job.  The Tulsa School Board fired him for moral turpitude, stemming from a series of accusations from female students.

The district's police force gathered a stack of reports, accusing Factor of sexual harassment.  Some of the complaints go back as far as October of 2007.

One girl wrote in her report that Factor would touch [her] lower back, neck, shoulders, and knees [and] often squeezed [her] knee before he let go.

Another girl reported she felt like [Factor] was looking down [her] shirt throughout the year.

And, another says she was talking to a friend, when Factor told her to go sit down.  She says in her report as he said that he moved his hand across [her] butt.

Male students told police that on a field trip Factor took all of the girls in his car and made the boys ride separate[ly].

Several students reported they tried to transfer out of Factor's classroom.

Hale's principal warned Factor in February to stop any activities that could be considered inappropriate, including touching female students or text messaging them.

Scott Factor was suspended in May.  The district began dismissal proceedings two weeks later. And, he was fired at a special board meeting on June 8th.

Factor's attorney says his client is innocent and a good teacher.  A 2008 evaluation showed he received all satisfactory marks or higher.

Scott Factor's attorney Richard O'Carroll didn't want to go on camera.  But, he did tell The News On 6 over the phone that it was old, unproven accusations that led to his client's termination.  He says they plan to fight in district court to try to get Factor's job back.