Ponca City High School teacher faces three felony charges

Ponca City High School teacher Michael C. Grimes, 59, faces three felony charges of child abuse in Kay County District Court, court records state.

His initial appearance is set for June 1. He was released Monday on a $5,000 bond.

A statement from the Ponca City Public Schools said on Monday  the district was made aware of the arrest of a teacher at Ponca City Senior High School.

“As always, the safety of our students and staff is a top priority. The PCPS District works to ensure state law and board policies are followed, and if violations are found, they are quickly addressed.

The district’s statement said “allegations were reported to PCPS officials on Nov. 21, 2019, and these allegations were immediately reported to the Ponca City Police Department. The teacher was instantaneously placed on administrative leave and has been on administrative leave since this date. The District has fully cooperated with the law enforcement on this matter. Because this is an ongoing investigation and due to confidentiality rights, the District cannot make further comment.

This teacher has been employed by the District since August 1, 1989.”