Steve Chan, Day Middle School math teacher, faces child pornography charges and is being held for $35,000 bail. My oldest had Steve Chan as her 6th grade math teacher and my incoming 6th grader is assigned to his class this year. As a parent who knew him as my child’s homeroom and math teacher, this is shocking.

This is the third case of child pornography in Newton in the last two years (David Ettlinger, Peter Buchanan).

The Superintendent of Newton Public Schools will hold a press conference with Newton Police Chief Howard Mintz and Mayor Setti Warren at 2:30 today in the Central Administration offices at 100 Walnut Street.

Newton  parents can attend a community meeting held by Superintendent David Fleishman at F. A. Day Middle School, September 3rd (Tuesday night), at 7 pm in the Day Auditorium.

Here is a round up of links with quotes pulled.

Newton Patch: Steven Chan Resigns from F. A. Day Middle School

Supt. David Fleishman confirmed that Chan resigned from his position as math teacher at the F.A. Day Middle School, the Boston Globe reported. A meeting had been set up for next week where school officials were expected to fire Chan.

Chan was arrested last week and on Aug. 30 he plead not guilty in Newton District Court to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of dissemination of child pornography.

Newton Patch: Nothing in Teacher’s Past Shows He Would be Arrested on Child Porn Charges

Steven Chan, the F.A. Day Middle School math teacher charged with possession and dissemination of child pornography, had no prior criminal record, and calls to former principals and administrators did not reveal any problems, either, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

BostonHerald.com: $35K bail for Newton math teacher charged in child-porn case

Steven Chan, 57, of Newton, a longtime math teacher at the F.A. Day Middle School and the gymnastics coach at Newton North High School, appeared in Newton District Court on two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of dissemination of child pornography. He was ordered to surrender his passport and wear a GPS monitoring bracelet upon his release. Chan was also ordered to stay at least 50 yards away from Newton public schools, and forbidden from using the Internet and having unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18.

 

Boston CBS Local: Newton Teacher Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

The prosecutor said investigators found 27,000 pornographic images on computer hard drives taken from Chan’s home.

Chan, a married father with two children, is a math teacher at the F.A. Day Middle School and the boys’ gymnastics coach at Newton North High School.

In a letter to parents, Newton Schools Superintendent David Fleishman said the investigation “does not involve any Newton students.”

 

Newton Patch: Newton Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Steven Chan, 57, of Newton, will be arraigned in Newton District Court this morning on two charges of possession of child pornography and one count of disseminating child pornography, said Stephanie Guyotte, spokeswoman for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

 

WickedLocal Newton: Newton teacher arrested on child pornography charges

Thousands of images of young girls, some as young as 4 years old were found on Chan’s computers, according to prosecutors. None of the images are believed to be of Newton residents.

During the search of the home, Chan admitted to police to installing public sharing software on his computer and downloading pornography and copy written materials, according to court documents. Chan admitted to observing child pornography on his computer involving girls as young as 4.

 

The Boston Globe: Newton Teacher Faces Child Pornography Charges

The arrest comes after David Ettlinger, a former teacher at the Underwood Elementary School in Newton, was arrested in early 2012 and sentenced early this year to 45 years in jail for his role in an online child pornography ring.

Assistant District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said today that Chan’s arrest stemmed from a State Police investigation that led to a search warrant being executed Thursday at his home.

 

The response to this shocking event has been immediate. We have received letters from both the Principal of F. A. Day Middle School and our Superintendent of Newton Schools and I am proud of the way our administrators are handling this. Sadly, this have been through this before.

Letter to parents from Day Middle School Brian Turner:

Dear Day Families,

The Day community is shocked to learn this morning that Steve Chan has been arrested.  Superintendent Fleishman just sent a letter to the Newton School community that explains what we know at this point in time.

Our minds as educators turn immediately to the children, teachers and families within our own school.  Day Middle School’s Crisis Team will convene within the hour to formulate a plan for the week ahead.  Day’s teachers and staff will meet before school Tuesdaymorning to discuss how we will support the students as they arrive for the first day of school.  A Day Middle School Guidance Counselor will take on the role of orientation teacher all day on that first day in what would have been Mr. Chan’s homeroom class.  All other Student Service personnel will be on hand to assist those in need.

We each respond in our own way when we learn of news like this.  As educators at the middle school level, we are aware that some students will know about this news and others will not.  When it comes to sharing information with children, we will be very cautious and approach the children at their level of understanding, responding to their social-emotional needs and their questions without projecting onto them our own adult perspectives and reactions.  Children respond well to normalcy and routine, and Day Middle School’s first day of school will run as planned for the students as they learn about the exciting year ahead.

There will be an information session 7:00 Tuesday night, September 3^rd in Day’s auditorium.  We will hear from law enforcement officers and mental health experts, and community members will have a chance to share concerns and ask questions.

We will continue to send out information as we learn more.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we simultaneously gear up for our first day of school and respond to this developing situation.

Sincerely,

Brian Turner

 

Letter to parents from Newton Superintendent of Schools, David Fleishman.

August 30, 2013

Dear Newton Community,

I am writing with some very upsetting information regarding one of our teachers.  We just learned that Steven Chan, a long time math teacher at Day Middle School was arrested on child pornography charges.  We have been told by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office that the investigation does not involve any Newton students.  As you can imagine, this news is very difficult for everyone in the Day and the broader community to absorb.  It is even more shocking in light of the events at Underwood just a year and a half ago.

We are and will continue to work very closely with our partners in the Newton Police Department and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office as the investigation continues.  As we approach the opening of school, the Day crisis team will be prepared to support students, parents and staff.  Day principal Brian Turner will be communicating directly with the Day community regarding more specific plans for next Tuesday. We will work closely with Principal Turner to maintain stability and daily routine during this challenging time.

The news of a Newton teacher’s arrest and arraignment on such serious charges for the second time in a year and a half has a real impact on the entire Newton community.  Due to the media attention focused on the matter, we know that students will be talking about information that may make them feel shocked, anxious and angered.  While I expect that many of you will speak with your children about the sensitive nature of the allegations, they may need additional support.  If this is the case, the staff in our buildings will be well prepared to address their concerns.  As the school year begins, we will pay special attention to the social and emotional needs of all of our students and encourage you to share any concerns you may have with our faculty, staff and administrators.

Given the seriousness of this incident and the concerns it raises, we will be holding a community meeting on Tuesday night, September 3rd at 7 pm in the Day Auditorium.  This meeting will provide an opportunity to ask questions and hear from both law enforcement authorities and mental health experts.

Thank you very much for your understanding.  We want to do everything possible to support the Newton community and we will continue to provide information to you as we work together during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools