Board, Citing Legal Advice, Refuses to Discuss Teacher’s Reinstatement

Dozens of angry Fullerton parents packed a school board meeting Tuesday night and demanded to know why a junior high school teacher twice arrested on lewd conduct charges was allowed to return to the classroom.

But on the advice of an attorney for the Fullerton School District, board members refused to explain why King Steadman, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at D. Russell Parks Junior High, was reinstated in March after a six-month suspension.

Saying personnel matters are privileged and cannot be publicly discussed, board member Irene Armstrong nonetheless told the parents: “It’s our job to listen to your concerns . . . we’ll take them into consideration when making our decisions.”

After adjourning to a closed session for 40 minutes, the board released a statement reiterating its refusal to discuss the matter. The statement did say the board would meet again in a closed session Aug. 29 to take up the matter.

Betsy Cheek, a parent at the meeting, said of the board’s refusal to discuss the matter: “We’re not surprised this is how it turned out.”

Steadman was arrested last fall in an adult bookstore in Fontana on charges of lewd conduct and indecent exposure. He later pleaded no contest to the lewd-conduct charge--for sentencing purposes, tantamount to a guilty plea--in a plea bargain. According to San Bernardino County court documents, Steadman served one day in jail and was placed on two years’ probation. He also was suspended from teaching for six months.

Steadman was arrested in a Fullerton park in 1981 on charges of lewd conduct, but those charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace.

Since his return to the classroom in April, district and school board officials have refused to comment on his reinstatement other than to say they believe that their decision to allow it was correct.

California law prohibits school districts from employing anyone convicted of a sex offense, but persons who have pleaded no contest in such matters are not barred from school district employment.

The parents who turned out Tuesday night wanted to know the details of the meeting last March in which it was decided to reinstate Steadman.

“I’m going to be blunt,” said one woman who did not want to be identified: “I want to know the board’s position on lewd conduct and whether you support it. As the board, you have a responsibility to tell us what our kids are up against.”

“What in the world is going on?” parent Barry Altman asked the school board. “I’d like to hear something about what this is all about.”

But Charles Barnes, president of North Orange County United Teachers, interrupted one of the speakers to object to the discussion. “Mr. Steadman’s rights are being jeopardized,” he said. “Due process says you have a right to face your accusers.”

‘I Am Incredulous’

“I am incredulous the man is still in the classroom,” Cheek said before the meeting.”I think parents have a right to know what’s going on” concerning Steadman’s reinstatement.

Joan Mears, Parks’ current PTA president, was also upset by the reinstatement.

“I don’t think this was handled properly, and I don’t think (Steadman) should be in the classroom,” Mears, whose daughter is an eighth-grader at Parks, said Tuesday afternoon. “I would not want him teaching my children.”