EspañolSteven Schapansky, Former Santa Barbara Charter School Teacher, Arrested on Charges of Child Molestation
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA (September 12, 2024) – A former Santa Barbara Charter School teacher identified as Steven Schapansky was arrested on charges of child molestation and electronic peeping.
Santa Barbara County officials are saying that the defendant allegedly touched two young girls under the age of 14 while they were sleeping. The first incident took place sometime between January 1, 2018 and December 24.
The second incident took place sometime between April 1 and 30, 2023. Steven Schapansky is also accused of electronic peeping involving at least 46 separate “Jane Does.”
This is the second time that the defendant has been arrested in recent months. In July, Steven Schapansky was arrested for allegedly secretly recording juveniles at several places where he worked.
He is currently booked into the North Branch Jail and is being held on $100,000 bail. A full investigation into all of the allegations remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Child Sexual Abuse In Santa Barbara County
Sexual abuse remains alarmingly common in schools across California and the United States. According to the National Education Association, “there were 14,938 incidents of sexual violence in K–12 schools in 2017 – 2018 compared with 9,649 in 2015 – 2016, representing a 55 percent increase. These include incidents of rape or attempted rape and sexual assault.” Schools should be proactive and take several measures in order to protect children from sexual abuse.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all teachers and employees.
- Schools should investigate all allegations of misconduct.
- School should understand the factors that lead to sexual victimization and predation.
- Schools should develop and enforce clear codes of conduct.
All schools have a legal obligation to protect children from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes sexual misconduct at the hands of teachers. As outlined in Virginia G. v. ABC Unified School District (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 1848, schools can be liable for the sexual assault of a student if teachers knew (or should have known) about that teacher’s history of sexual abuse. Teachers are mandated reporters and have a legal obligation to report reasonably suspected instances of sexual abuse.
It is also a crime for any person to secretly record children in certain locations, including bathrooms, restrooms, and changing rooms. Pursuant to California Penal Code 647(j), a person who uses a concealed camera or photographic camera of any type to record a person in a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, or any location where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy is guilty of a crime. If the person being recorded is underage, the perpetrator could also face charges of child pornography. It is important that certain steps are taken after instances of misconduct by school officials.
- A police report should be created.
- School records of any misconduct should be reviewed.
- The actions of school officials should be understood.
- An experienced school sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Sexual abuse and misconduct is often highly preventable in a school setting. It tends to occur when school officials turn a blind eye to warning signs. Indeed, by the time any teacher is arrested for sexual misconduct, there are often numerous red flags that are overlooked. It is important that victims of sexual abuse understand that they do have rights. They are able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating Child Sexual Abuse In Santa Barbara County
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the children and families who have been impacted by the actions of Steven Schapansky. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. The police need to investigate whether or not there are additional victims.
Have you or someone that you care about been impacted by school sexual abuse? Our team of school sexual abuse attorneys is here for you. We are committed to holding perpetrators and school districts accountable for their wrongful actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
