CVHS teacher accused of taking secret photos to remain on leave

A Crescenta Valley High School teacher arrested last week on charges of surreptitiously videotaping female students as they undressed in a faculty restroom will remain on paid administrative leave until the charges are resolved, a school district official said.

Meanwhile, school officials are reassuring parents and students that the high school will work through the situation.

Investigators from the sheriff’s department’s Family Crimes Bureau are asking for cooperation from the public as they begin an inquiry into the alleged misconduct of CVHS teacher Rogelio “Roger” Gallardo, who was arrested on child pornography charges.

Many students-and a district official-contacted this week were shocked by an allegation that a video camera hidden inside a faculty restroom near Gallardo’s ceramics class was linked to the teacher, who has taught at CVHS for seven years and has received nothing but satisfactory evaluations.

“There is no way we are going to let this incident redefine our school,” CVHS Co-Principal Linda Evans told a crowd of about 75 parents and students at an informational meeting Monday night at the school.

In Gallardo’s seven years at the school, there have been no issues or complaints about his performance, said Dr. Mary McKee, assistant superintendent of educational services and secondary education for Glendale Unified School District. Gallardo has never before been placed on administrative leave, McKee said.

“It is a surprise,” McKee said of the arrest. “And it is devastating to a school community because we have established a relationship with our teachers. It is very much a surprise.”

When told of the allegations against Gallardo, which include posting on the Internet secretly taped images of teenage girls undressing, several girls reportedly cried, one student said.

On Monday, students said rumors were flying about Gallardo’s innocence or guilt. Some said they do not believe what they have heard.

“Roger is a good man,” said sophomore Jennifer Rad, who has not had Gallardo’s class but said friends of hers who have speak well of him. She said he has a wife and two kids.

School officials first learned of the allegations last Thursday when a parent came forward and told CVHS Co-Principal Michael Livingston that students found a running video camera in the bathroom, to which only instructors have access. Some students reportedly used the faculty restroom to change into smocks for art classes, McKee said.

Gallardo was arrested last Thursday and released later that day. McKee said he will remain on paid administrative leave until there is a resolution to the charges he faces.

The school on Monday called in two crisis counselors who spent time informing students of the situation, Evans said. Counselors also began talking with students, and school officials determined they are going to need additional support, Evans said.

“None of us chose to be on this road, but we’re on this road together,” Evans reassured parents at Monday’s meeting.

McKee said Thursday that it seemed that counselors and school officials were “successfully moving along” in addressing students’ issues, comments and concerns.

Sheriff’s investigators said they served a search warrant on Gallardo’s home in Corona on the night of the arrest and seized two computers and seven videotapes that included images of teenage girls in various stages of undress. The suspect allegedly admitted to uploading over 2,000 images to a Web site, investigators said.

Speaking at the informational meeting, Lt. Tom Sirkel of the Family Crimes Bureau stressed that the investigation-and the images on the confiscated videotapes-will be completely confidential.

He explained to parents that in many investigations such as this, detectives from his bureau typically act as fact finders. He asked for the public to cooperate in providing information as the investigation continues.

“We’re looking for one thing: the truth,” he said.