Second LA Unified Teacher Arrested For Performing Lewd Acts On Students
Martin Springer of Alhambra fondled two seven-year-old girls in separate incidents over the past three years, said Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept. Cap. Mark Parker in a news conference. Springer, 49, was apprehended due to information provided by concerned parents after news broke this week regarding Mark Berndt, a fellow Miramonte Elementary School teacher.
John Deasy, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, told KTTV Friday that the district has seen an increase in the number of teacher molestation complaints since news of Berndt's arrest surfaced.
As for Springer, Deasy told the Associated Press that, "we are prepared to fire him next week and we'll do that at the next board meeting for inappropriate conduct and inappropriately touching students."
Earlier this week, 30-year LAUSD teacher Berndt was charged with committing lewd acts on 23 of his students between the ages of 6 and 10 from 2005-2010. Berndt is being held on a $23 million bail and is facing life in prison, according to the Los Angeles Times.
From the Los Angeles Times:
Berndt allegedly spoon-fed his semen to blindfolded students as part of what he told them was a "tasting game." School officials removed him from class in January 2011, when investigators showed them some of the photos.
Springer's bail has been set at $2 million.
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