A professor’s aide in Maryland will not face charges after he was filmed masturbating during a Zoom call with an eighth grade class.
Marc Schack, assistant to special education students at Shady Grove Middle School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, was placed on administrative leave on Monday after the footage taken at the end of a history class was shared online.
The 13-second clip supposedly showed Mr. Schack looking at the screen, before getting up, moving away from his laptop and starting to masturbate.
Mr. Schack’s name was on the screen as the host of the so-called Zoom, but seconds after he got up, another name appeared replacing him as moderator.
The professor’s aide told Fox 5 that he was unaware of the video when he was placed on administrative leave because he claimed he was informed that the school had “lost its background check file”.
Schack added that he only discovered the reason for the action when he was contacted by reporters on Wednesday.
The professor’s aide, who has worked for Montgomery County Public Schools for 21 years, also runs Pirate Magic, a company that offers “pirate parties” for children in the region.
After reports from the video, Mr. Schack insisted that he thought the online class was over, telling Bethesda Magazine on Wednesday: “I thought I was disconnected when the class ended.”
He added: “I had no idea that Zoom was still on. Why would I do that? This is my job. I had no idea that Zoom was on. I mean, this is just crazy behavior. “
Mr. Schack said he thought he was in the privacy of his residence at the time, saying: “I’m not a pervert or anything, you know. You have to believe me, “and adding,” I am only human. It was my bad. “
Shady Grove’s director, Alana Murray, wrote to her parents earlier in the week to confirm that a team member “was involved in inappropriate behavior”.
Ms. Murray added, “We ask that any student who has this video posted on social media platforms remove the content and avoid sharing it with other students.”
A district spokesman told the New York Post on Thursday, that an employee was placed on administrative leave, while an investigation is underway on “inappropriate sexual behavior” earlier in the week.
“According to our procedures, we do not disclose the names of employees who are under investigation,” continued the spokesman, adding: “Local authorities have been informed and are also investigating.”
However, Montgomery County police spokesman Rick Goodale confirmed to Bethesda magazine on Thursday that Mr. Schack will not face charges, as his alleged behavior “has not reached the level of crime under the law of Maryland ”.
The Independent contacted Montgomery County Public Schools and Pirate Magic for comment.