"A school aide with a disturbing past was arrested Friday for allegedly molesting a student at a top Manhattan elementary school."
"Gregory Atkins, 56, a teacher’s aide at Public School 87 on the upper West Side, told a male student to strip naked inside the school and then touched the boy, cops said."
"Atkins... was investigated in 2006 for having an “inappropriate relationship” with a male student at Middle School 322 in Manhattan, where he worked at the time."
"Atkins showered the boy with gifts, including a jock strap, and extended an “open invitation” for the youngster to stay over at his house, investigators said."
"However, since no sexual activity was alleged and no criminal charges were filed, Atkins was not disciplined and continued to work in city schools."
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Manhattan school aide busted for alleged sex abuse - NY Daily News
The guy shouldn't have been allowed back in the classroom after the 2006 investigation. Who cares if criminal charges weren't filed at that time? If you knew a man had been accused of showering a boy with gifts including a jock strap, etc. and invited him to stay at his house, would you leave your child in his care? No. In this day and age, we know its "grooming." And yet the schools are forced to keep these people around until they eventually take it over the top and get caught red handed after who knows how many kids have been harmed. Something is wrong with the system that protects the teachers instead of the children.