2nd teacher in LA school sex scandal free on bail

By Christina Hoag

Associated Press

Published: Thursday, Feb. 9 2012 9:35 p.m. MST

FILE - This image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department shows Martin B. Springer, 49, who was arrested Feb. 3, 2012 in Los Angeles. Prosecutors have filed a lewd-acts complaint against Springer, the second of two teachers removed from a Los Angeles-area elementary school, on Tuesday Feb. 7, 2012 and the Board of Education has voted to fire him. Springer is charged with committing the acts upon one girl in 2009 and is due in court Tuesday afternoon.

Los Angeles County Sheriff, File, Associated Press

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Summary

The second teacher charged in a sex abuse scandal that has rocked a Los Angeles elementary school is free on bail.

LOS ANGELES — The second teacher charged in a sex abuse scandal that has rocked a Los Angeles elementary school is free on bail.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department website says Martin Springer was released at about 7 p.m. Thursday. He had been held on $300,000 bail.

The 49-year-old was arrested last week after two girls said he had fondled them in class in 2009. He pleaded not guilty after he was charged with committing three lewd acts on one girl in 2009. The other girl has since recanted her allegation.

Springer's arrest came shortly after former teacher Mark Berndt was charged with 23 counts of lewd acts upon children. Berndt is accused of feeding his semen to some students during "tasting games" in his classroom from 2005 to 2010.

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