Quapaw Teacher Follow Up

Parents speak out after an area teacher returns to the classroom after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct. According to police reports, Michiel Karnes of Quapaw, Oklahoma propositioned an undercover officer for a sexual act last December at a Joplin park. After pleading guilty to the charges,the school board refused to allow karnes to resign from his job. Karnes is now back at work after being gone from the classroom since January 12th, when his guilty plea became public. Some parents say it`s none of their business what he does on his own time. Karnes was fined more than 5-hundred dollars and given a two year probation period for soliciting an officer in Joplin`s Wildcat Park. The school board refused Karnes` resignation at Monday night`s board meeting, and so far he has not faced any punishment from the district. Several parents that we spoke with today say Karnes is a great teacher and role model. Today we also spoke with Superintendent Dennis Earp who declined to comment on any future steps the district may take against Karnes. School board member Bill Dixon who was the only board member who voted to accept the resignation, turned in his own resignation tuesday. Dixon says Karnes simply broke the law. Now since this is a misdemeanor charge, the state cannot say whether karnes can keep teaching. The school board must make that decision on its own. Reported By: Ryan Loyd