Former Tyler ISD substitute teacher arrested, accused of inappropriately touching 4th grade student

TYLER – A former Tyler ISD substitute teacher was arrested on Friday and is accused of inappropriately touching a 10-year-old student in a classroom, according to our news partner KETK. Tyler ISD Police were called to Ramey Elementary School on May 16 after the fourth grade child reported that her ISS substitute teacher Karen Dunn, 48 of Tyler, had “touched her inappropriately” with three other students in the classroom. After the alleged incident, the warrant said the child went to her classroom teacher and said she was there to grab her phone charger. “The student came up to her desk and said the ‘real reason I came here is to tell you what the ISS sub said to me. She was telling me about stuff I did not need to hear about,’” the warrant said.

The student told her teacher Dunn told her about things she does with her sister and boyfriend, handed her a piece of paper with her name, address and phone number on it and told the child to come over. Dunn had been a substitute teacher since 2016, and the warrant said she was terminated the date the child reported her after a member of Tyler ISD HR contacted Dunn using the phone number given to the child. The warrant said Dunn admitted to inviting the child to her home but denied the accusations against her and said “kids lie on teachers all the time.” A warrant was issued for Dunn’s arrest on Friday. The warrant said “video from the campus confirms [the student’s] stories.” Dunn remains in the Smith County Jail as of Monday, and her bond was set at $250,000.