It was bad enough when long-time second grade teacher Mark Berndt was arrested for allegedly playing horrible “games” with his students involving body fluids. Now a second faculty member at Miramonte Elementary School in South Los Angeles, 49-year-old Martin Springer, has been arrested and accused of “lewd acts”:
The arrest of Miramonte Elementary School teacher Martin Bernard Springer, 49, came three days after L.A. prosecutors accused former teacher Mark Berndt of bizarre acts in his classroom that have generated national attention.
Berndt, 61, allegedly spoon-fed his semen to blindfolded children as part of what he called a “tasting game.”
Two students accuse Mr. Springer of improper touching, according to a L.A. County Sheriff’s spokesperson. Capt. Mike Parker told the L.A. Times that the students were “fondled in the classroom” by Mr. Springer and “were approximately 7 years old” when the alleged incidents occurred.
According to the Times both Mr. Berndt, 61, and Mr. Springer have spent their careers at Miramonte, one of the biggest elementary schools in America.
Mr. Berndt’s arrest raised questions about how school officials had handled past allegations of misconduct on his part, as students had come forward even in the early 1990s with allegations of bizarre, lewd behavior.
Investigators are still seeking possible victims. Mr. Berndt is being held on a $23 million bond; Mr. Springer on $2 million bail.
[ latimes.com.]
