LA school reeling from arrest of 2nd teacher

LOS ANGELES — A bizarre case at an inner-city elementary school where a teacher was charged with taking bondage-style photographs of children has expanded with the arrest of a second teacher suspected of fondling two girls in his classroom.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker said Martin B. Springer, 49, was arrested Friday. The announcement sent further shock waves through the campus already reeling from the arrest of teacher Mark Berndt who's charged with committing lewd acts on 23 children.

Springer's arrest came four days allegations surfaced against Berndt, but authorities said there was no known connection between the two cases. Springer was being held on $2 million bail.

The case has shocked the nation and thrown a chill into its second-largest school district, with 650,000 students across hundreds of campuses.

Parker said the victims in the second case were about 7 and 8 years old and were fondled once each in a classroom at Miramonte Elementary School during the past three years.

Detectives interviewed Springer and the alleged victims on Thursday and had him under surveillance. He was arrested Friday as he exited a school district building in South Los Angeles, Parker said.

Detectives anticipate that more victims might come forward, he said.

A phone message left at Springer's home was not immediately returned.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said the district plans to fire Springer next week.

"We are prepared to fire him next week and we'll do that at the next board meeting for inappropriate conduct and inappropriately touching students," the superintendent told KTTV.

In a related development, a lawyer filed a claim against the district stating that he intended to file a lawsuit alleging an unidentified girl ate a sugar cookie laced with Berndt's semen.

Earlier this week, Berndt, who worked at the school for 32 years, was charged with committing lewd acts on 23 children, ages 6 to 10, between 2005 and 2010. He remains jailed on $23 million bail and could face life in prison if convicted.