A Severna Park Elementary School teacher has been charged with second degree assault and sex abuse of a minor after an investigation into allegations by multiple students at the school, according to Anne Arundel County Police.
Matthew Scott Banks Schlegel, 44, was arrested at his Severna Park home Thursday, months after the investigation began at the school, police said. Schlegel faces 36 charges.
The investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division Child Abuse Unit began in March, police said, and Child Protective Services conducted forensic interviews with “multiple child victims.”
Severna Park Elementary acting Principal Sharon Hansen sent an email to parents Thursday with a copy of the county police statement on the arrest. “It is important for you to understand ... that Mr. Schlegel was reassigned as soon as our school system received the first allegation in this case,” Hansen said.
Schlegel, who was a third grade teacher, has been working in a position that doesn’t put him in contact with children, the letter said. He has worked in the school system since 2008 and at Severna Park since 2016.
School officials turned over the case to police and have been working with them since, she said. Counselors and school psychologists have been available for students who need help.
Parents had expressed concerns last month that the school system was keeping the details of the allegations secret and not giving parents enough direction. They wanted to know whether and how to speak to their children about the issue.
“The inherently frustrating piece for families is that they want to know more than the school system is able to share,” said Bob Mosier, a school system spokesman. “In any case like this where there are multiple parties who all deserve a full and thorough hearing or investigation of a matter, there is information that we as a school system cannot share. That creates some confusion, and we understand that.”
Mosier said the school tried to provide as much information as it could prior to Thursday.
The Child Abuse Unit detectives are asking for anyone with information to call the tip line at 410-222-4733.
This is a developing story.
