Friday, June 1, 2007

Seattle teacher accused of possessing child porn

Posted at the Seattle P-I.

Seattle police confirmed Friday they are investigating a middle school teacher for possible possession of child pornography.

Detectives with the Special Assault Unit first began looking into the allegations that a teacher at Ballard's Whitman Middle School may have possessed child pornography when they were first notified on May 8.

The teacher has not been arrested nor charged with any crime, and the case remains under investigation.

Seattle School District spokesman David Tucker said the man was placed on leave May 21. That was when he was first questioned by police and when the district first learned of the investigation, Tucker said.

The district plans to send a letter to parents on Friday letting them know the teacher is on paid administrative leave and that a long-term substitute teacher would be taking his classes.

The teacher has been with Whitman for 18 years.

Tucker said the district would be conducting its own review of the situation.

I'm curious how this man came to be under suspicion. As we've seen before, parents will not be notified as to the reason that the teacher is on "paid administrative leave". This prevents parents from discussing with their children any suspicious activity that may have occurred with the said teacher. Since the name is not being released to the media, parents will have to start putting two-and-two together on their own accord.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the name of the teacher in question?

Sopater said...

I haven't found the name yet. It seems like no one wants to release the name since he hasn't been formally charged. The apparently accusations come from a former girlfriend that he had child porn on his computer.