HIGHLANDS, Texas – Two teenagers have claimed that a teacher sexually abused them several years ago.
Norman Slaughter, 46, has been charged with two counts of indecency with a child.
According to court documents, Slaughter touched two elementary school students inappropriately and forced them to touch him inappropriately.
The incidents allegedly happened at the Goose Creek Independent School District's Highlands Elementary, 200 E. Wallisville, in 2002 and 2003.
One of the women said the encounters happened while other students were in physical education class.
"He was like, 'Take a nap … if you wake up and you start feeling good you can go back.' So he let me sit on his chair, and that's when he did it. I didn't know what to do," one of the teens said.
She said she told her mother, father and other relatives, but none of them believed her. She didn't say anything to school officials until she was in junior high, but there wasn't any sort of investigation then.
"I told people. They didn't believe me, so I might as well forget about it," the teen said."I just kept thinking about it. I was like, 'Well, I want to get something done because this is the truth.'"
Someone finally believed the teen last year – after another one of Slaughter's students told investigators that he molested her at about the same time.
Slaughter was relieved of his teaching duties and placed on administrative leave in August. School district officials said he did not have any contact with students this year.
Harris County prosecutors told Local 2 that they are searching for other students who may have also been victimized by Slaughter.
Parents in the Highlands said the allegations are disturbing.
"That's a scary thought," said mother Amber Young. "There's a pedophile working at the school and nobody knew for the last what, eight, 10 years? It's pretty bad."
The school district said it learned of one of the allegations almost five years ago.
In a statement to Local 2, a spokesperson confirmed "The district first received a report of possible wrongdoing by the teacher in 2008, related to an incident that was alleged to have occurred years earlier."
It wasn't until district administrators learned of a second allegation last August that they placed Slaughter on administrative leave.
The mother of one of the alleged victims recognized Slaughter at school orientation at Highlands Elementary after enrolling a younger daughter.
The district has stressed to parents that Slaughter came into contact with no students this school year. With his access to so many children over the years, people want to know if there are other victims.
One of those wondering is the young woman who made the original allegation years ago. She said she feels vindicated and remembers hearing the news that Slaughter had been charged.
"I bawled for days. I bawled for days," said the woman. "Because, if he did it to us, he's going to do it to other people."
Slaughter was released from the Harris County Jail after posting $60,000 bond. KPRC Local 2 went to his home on Monday to get his side of the story, but the woman who answered the door said Slaughter was not there.