Parents file lawsuit linked to missing charter school teacher

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- There is another lawsuit regarding a missing Santa Barbara Charter School teacher accused of child molestation and recording children.

Steven Schapansky was arrested over the summer, but failed to show up for his first Santa Barbara County court appearance this month.

The families of two elementary school students have hired Barry Cappello to represent them.

To protect the children's identities the case is filed on behalf of minors "Jane Doe" and "Rachel Doe."

The suit is filed against Santa Barbara Unified School District, Santa Barbara Charter School and Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido.

Cappello said his clients learned what happened from the still-investigating detectives.

"My clients' children are fifth and sixth grade children that were in his class and apparently they were filmed in two different areas, one in his classroom where they changed their clothes for overnights, they had sleepovers without chaperones at the school and they changed their clothes into their jammies," said Cappello, "And he was filming them and then he was also involved in theater arts and at the theater arts building he had secretly hidden a camera in a dressing room where these children changed into their costumes."

Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, Susan Salcedo issued the following statement:

“I learned this morning that I have been named in a claim related to the case involving a former Santa Barbara Charter School teacher. As Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, I am concerned for the safety and well-being of all children and families and am deeply saddened by the news of this case. Without responding to any specifics relating to pending litigation, I do feel that it’s important to clarify that the oversight of the County Superintendent of Schools does not extend to charter school personnel, facilities, or day-to-day operations and that under California law, charter schools act independently as a separate legal entity.”

Santa Barbara Unified School District Chief of Communications Ed Zuchelli issued a similar statement:

 "Any case of sexual abuse is unacceptable. Our schools must be a safe place for children. 

Santa Barbara Charter School is a separate legal entity from the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Under California law, charter schools operate independently from an existing school district. Santa Barbara Charter School has its own Board of Directors and administrative and teaching staff, separate from SBUSD. It operates under an agreement with SBUSD pursuant to which it is responsible for the operation of the school, and agrees to defend and indemnify SBUSD for anything that may occur.

Last year, our District started annual training of all staff on how to detect and report grooming and sexual abuse behaviors. It is incumbent on our whole District community to look out for our students and create safe learning environments. "

Cappello believes his clients have a strong case.

"This suit is so that this doesn't happen again, this Shapansky issue, 5 years of secretly recording children in the school, in two schools by the way, went on without anybody checking the facilities checking the premises for cameras is just unacceptable," said Cappello.

Cappello said the district has dealt with similar issues in the past.

"The sad thing is that sexual predation has happened with coaches and a teacher before in the Santa Barbara Unified School District and there has just been no protection for these children," said Cappello, " And, so the idea for this lawsuit is to say the judiciary has got to step in create a monitor to force the school district to pay attention to this issue and follow the constitution of California and the Education Code which requires both the County Superintendent of School and the school district to take steps with regarding safe premises for the children."

The families want the district to check for hidden cameras and take action.

"These parents have decided to do more than simply file a claim for money theses people are asking us to go ahead and try to get something done so that it doesn't happen in the future," said Cappello.

Cappello said the case is not likely to get to court until the end of the year or early next year.

Another case filed by the family of a young teen is a personal injury claim against the teacher, the school and the district.

The teacher at the center of the case was last seen in Fresno and is considered by law enforcement to be "missing."

The teacher, 54, is 6'2" and was last seen riding a blue Honda motorcycle.

A warrant is out for his arrest.

Anonymous tips may be made to Crimestoppers at (559)498-7867

Schapansky is facing two felony counts of child molestation and 70 misdemeanor counts of electronic peeping.

Your News Channel will have more on the case tonight on the news.