Ex-principal agrees not to teach again
A former Harrah principal has agreed never to teach again after pleading guilty to child abuse.
Douglas Parker, 58, pleaded guilty to physically harming a 6-year-old student while he was the principal of Virginia Smith Elementary School in Harrah. He was charged with forcefully grabbing and pulling the girl at the school last March.
Parker, of Shawnee, will serve a two-year deferred sentence and take anger management classes as part of the plea agreement.
“I forcefully put my hands on (the girl),” he wrote in the summary of facts for his plea. “Forcing her to put her nose against the wall causing injury to her nose.”
Parker's attorney, Joi Miskel, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The incident, which was recorded on video, occurred while Parker was disciplining the student for misbehaving, according to a court affidavit. Harrah police reported she suffered bruising to her nose.
He attempted to “place her against a door with the toes of her feet and nose touching the door,” according to the affidavit. Several school employees saw Parker grabbing and yelling at the student.
“Mr. Parker was using his hands, legs and feet in the attempt to keep the student against the door,” police reported. “The student was only witnessed resisting the force applied by Mr. Parker and not attempting to harm him or anyone else.”
Harrah Public Schools declined to comment Thursday on the case.