A substitute teacher accused of sexual assault at a Coquitlam school faced a similar accusation six months ago at another school, according to a group of parents who filed a complaint with the school board at the time.

But the school board never told police about the alleged incident, involving a complaint against substitute teacher Aleskandr Plehanov in October, according to the RCMP.

"I'm upset, I'm angry," said one of the parents who filed the complaint, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her daughter, who is in elementary school. "We had faith in a process but look at what came of it?"

The Coquitlam School Board declined to comment on the October incident, and wouldn't talk about any contact they had with police in the case. The RCMP say those allegations are now part of their ongoing investigation.

And B.C.'s minister of education, Margaret MacDiarmid, says it's standard for school districts to go to the police with concerns about sexual abuse, and promised to have her staff look into how the board handled the complaint.

"If there was any concern about something like this that the appropriate steps had not been taken of course we would take that very seriously," she said.

Mr. Plehanov faces three counts each of sexual interference, sexual exploitation and sexual assault. None of the allegations against him have been proven in court.

Two mothers told CTV that on October 13, 2009, their children told them they had been touched at school.

One parent formally complained to the district the next day, October 14, 2009.

The following Friday a girl was taken out of the class and interviewed by district officials, the parents said. Counsellors were sent to the school to talk to children about the incident.

Neither parent called the RCMP at the time -- in part because they believed that the district would take the necessary steps.

"We thought the district had it in hand," one told CTV News. "We were told to trust the process."

The district did forward a discipline report about Plehanov to the College of Teachers on March 5, 2010 -- some five months later. The College of Teachers wouldn't confirm or deny that the report was related to the October allegations.

On March 10, police were alerted to an incident at another Coquitlam School involving three girls aged seven and eight. Eight days after that, Plehanov was arrested.

When the group of parents connected to the October incidents learned of the charges, one of them attempted to file a separate complaint with the College of Teachers.

However, the teacher was known to the parent only as "Mr. P", and the College of Teachers refused to accept a complaint without a name. When the parents attempted to ask the Coquitlam School Board for the teacher's name, the board said they couldn't provide it for privacy reasons.

"They needed a name to launch my complaint and I couldn't get one," said the parent. "We had to let it go."

Plehanov is now released on $500 bail at his home in Burnaby. His bail conditions include having no contact with any alleged victims or anyone under 14, as well as not going within 300 metres of any schools or playgrounds.

Plehanov's apartment is about 300 metres away from Bonsor Park, which has a playground, and there are at least four children living in his apartment building.

"It's scary, but what can you do?" said Orlando Castillo, who is raising children in a suite in the building.

CTV News has also learned that the Russian-born teacher did his practicum in Vancouver, and Coquitlam RCMP say they will follow up with other jurisdictions about his history.

"We are hoping and we are still hoping that there are not several other incidents but if there were it is our duty to try and reach out," said Cpl. Bert Paquet.

Plehanov will appear in court on June 3.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward and Sarah Galashan