Irvine police Monday continued to investigate an incident at Hicks Canyon Elementary School after a staff member allegedly asked 9-year-old girls to massage his back.
The investigation began last Thursday when parents contacted the school and the Irvine Police Department after learning their third graders were repeatedly asked to massage the male staffer’s back.
The Tustin Unified School District, which oversees the elementary school on Viewpark Avenue, confirmed to NBC Los Angeles that it is supporting Irvine police in investigating the claim.
While police and district officials declined to provide details, a Reddit user who claims to be the parent of one of the girls said the staffer was on paid leave for a couple of days after the report was filed, but he was back on campus.
The same parent also claimed that school was planning to put the staff member on a different rotation with other children so her daughter does not have to run into the same staff member.
It was not immediately clear what kind of job functions the employee has at the school.
As the social media post sparked an uproar, the Irvine Police Department has also posted on the same platform, informing parents and community members that it’s “working closely with the Tustin Unified School District to investigate the circumstances.”