Former youth pastor Robert Yerton was a youth minister at the Garnett Church of Christ from 2002 until 2004. He was fired, but remained active in youth ministry. He was also a teacher and school administrator. As was serving as assistant principal at Skelly Elementary School when allegations of sex misconduct were first reported. He’s been arrested and charged with sex crimes against two children. The victims were young boys.
Yerton is a Christian. He’s a youth pastor, and presumably a church going man. Why did the magical Christian moral compass fail? I ask this question every time I read about a pastor abusing children.
Yerton’s been a teacher for 20 years, a Boy Scout leader and a youth pastor too. He’s enjoyed ample access to children. Sgt. Gary Stansill captured the mood of public best by saying, “Everybody is going back and saying, ’Oh, my gosh. My kid was on a scouting trip or a church group trip with him.’”
More troubling is the inept handling of internal investigations conducted by TPS. Despite several credible allegations, the school district delayed marking a report to police. It was a pattern repeated at other schools in Yerton’s past. And what about his firing as a Youth Pastor. The church claims it was because of leadership issues. Now that the lid is off this case, his involvement at the church will be scrutinized. Let’ hope they were not coloring the truth to protect their precious church.
