Nothing in Teacher's Past Shows He Would be Arrested on Child Porn Charges

School officials found nothing in background checks of the Newton teacher arrested last week on child pornography charges that indicated he would get into legal trouble.

Newton school administrators looked for ways they could have screened out Steven Chan, the F.A. Day Middle School math teacher charged with possession and dissemination of child pornography. He had no prior criminal record, and calls to former principals and administrators did not reveal any problems, either, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Parents too said they had no clue that Chan could be someone who downloaded tens of thousands of nude and sexually explicit images, including some of underage children as young as 4 years old. One parent told the Globe Chan was a “real nice guy, down to earth.” Another said he was one of the most popular teachers among students at Day.

Chan has been placed on paid administrative leave by the district but is expected to be fired at a meeting next week, unless he resigns first.

Chan is the third Newton employee within the past 18 months arrested on child pornography charges. David Ettinger, a former Underwood Elementary School teacher, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for possession of child pornography after being arrested in January 2012. Peter Buchanan, a Newton Library part time employee was charged with possession of child pornography the same month.