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A teacher at Wading River Elementary School has been removed from the classroom after a video posted online appeared to show him being confronted outside the school and accused of making inappropriate online remarks, a school official confirmed.
Shoreham-Wading River schools Superintendent Gerard W. Poole said in a statement Wednesday night that the district was made aware of “disturbing remarks” shared by a teacher “on a live streamed platform” and that the Riverhead Police Department is investigating.
The teacher is also banned from setting foot on school property, Poole said.
“While I understand that this news may leave you with questions, our legal counsel has advised us that we are unable to provide any further comment at this time,” the superintendent said in the letter to parents and guardians.
Teacher confronted in front of school
The livestream referenced by Poole appears to be a video posted online by Predator Poachers Long Island, a group that records and shares online stings it says are aimed at exposing adults attempting to meet minors.
In the video, the group confronts who they identify as a music teacher outside Wading River School. Images show him later being detained by Riverhead Police officers and place in the backseat of a squad car.
The Suffolk County Police Department confirmed it is investigating the matter.
“The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating a report involving an employee of the Shoreham-Wading River Central School District,” a department spokesperson said in an email to Greater Long Island. “Additional information will not be released during the ongoing investigation.”
As of Thursday afternoon, criminal charges had not been filed against the veteran educator.
Predator Poachers Long Island — a self-described watchdog group that confronts people accused of seeking contact with minors — posted its own account of the confrontation on Instagram and YouTube, alleging the teacher engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
Mike Villiani with Predator Poachers said that while posing as a 13-year-old girl he met the teacher in a chat room of the Kik messaging app on Oct. 5.
“I told him that I’m a middle schooler and I’m 13. And he kept the conversation going immediately with no hesitation,” said Villiani, who approached the teacher in front of Wading River School on Wednesday and recorded their conversation. “There’s no doubt in my mind how guilty he is.”
Villiani, who operates the local sting operation with his girlfriend, said the teacher asked for explicit images from the decoy multiple times, discussed scenarios of them meeting up and described in detail the sexual acts they would engage in.
Those claims have not been verified by law enforcement.
Poole said the district will “fully cooperate with law enforcement” and provide updates “as appropriate.”
He additionally noted in a statement on Thursday that the school district “does not have any prior reports or complaints about this employee.”
“Our school counselors and support staff are available to speak with students who may need someone to talk to,” Poole said in a statement to parents, which was forward by the district to Greater Long Island.
“Families seeking assistance for their children are encouraged to reach out to their school principal and/or our school psychologists for guidance and resources.”
Top photos: (Inset) Facebook/Wading River PTA and (Main) Instagram/@ppli (Predator Poachers Long Island)
