HISD teacher accused of inappropriately touching students

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A third grade teacher has been charged with inappropriately touching his students while in his classroom.

Ruben Vargas Trejo, 52, was a third grade teacher at JR Harris Elementary school in southeast Houston. According to court documents, Vargas was questioned after several of his students came forward with the allegations in late 2012. HISD stated Vargas was re-assigned to home duty in 2013.

"I can't believe it, what happened," said one victim's mother named Carolina to ABC-13 on Tuesday. "The teacher was touching her on the top of the cloths. That it was true."

Carolina said her daughter said Vargas would inappropriately touch her while all the kids were outside during recess. According to court documents, Vargas would single out his alleged victims and would grope them in the classroom. Court documents state the victims said Vargas threatened to flunk them if they told anyone. So Carolina said her daughter and the others kept their mouths shut, and everyday they went to school scared.

"Hiding themselves with a jacket, or covering herself, their breasts, just covering themselves. They were scared to go inside," said Carolina.

"It's disgusting, or course. You don't have no words for that," said Rosario Delgado, a concerned mother who has two children who attend the school.

ABC-13 has learned Vargas was also accused of the very same thing more than 10 years ago when he was a teacher at Barrick Elementary School.

Vargas is out on bond.