AUBURN, Mass. — Auburn Public Schools contacted local police to investigate allegations that a teacher had viewed inappropriate material on social media while students were in the classroom with him.
The dismissal occurred after several students reported their concerns to school staff last week.
District officials confirmed the teacher was immediately removed from the building and that the school is cooperating with the Auburn Police Department regarding the matter.
The incident was disclosed in a letter sent to Auburn Middle School families last week. The substitute teacher was not identified. According to the document, several students reported concerns to school staff during class regarding the substitute’s behavior. The letter noted the reports included “the potential viewing of inappropriate material on social media and inattentiveness while supervising students.”
Following the reports, the teacher was removed from the building and terminated from the district. School officials then contacted the Auburn Police Department to initiate an investigation into the claims.
The Superintendent of Auburn Public Schools Elizabeth Chamberland addressed the teacher’s employment history and the district’s vetting process. The substitute had been working for the district for a brief period, she told 25 Investigates.
“The substitute teacher was dismissed and police were notified immediately. The sub has only been with us the last couple of months. We do CORI, SORI and Fingerprints for background checks, at least two interviews and a review of past employment,” the Superintendent said in an emailed response.
Auburn Police conducted interviews with both the substitute teacher and several students as part of their investigation. Investigators determined that the information gathered did not meet the threshold required for criminal charges. While the investigation concluded without an arrest, police officials commended the students for speaking up about the classroom behavior. Authorities stated the investigation did not provide enough information to support a charge at this time.
25 Investigates has spent years documenting educator sexual misconduct in Massachusetts schools.
We have shared the voices of survivors, as well as the decades-long push on Beacon Hill to create better protections for students and prevention measures in schools. To find out more about the proposals, visit our previous reporting here.
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