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Grand Island Teacher Arrested For Allegedly Looking At Nude Photos

Grand Island Teacher Arrested For Allegedly Looking At Nude Photos

Story Published: May 31, 2007 at 7:09 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 31, 2007 at 7:31 PM EDT

By Aaron Baskerville

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According to court documents, the Grand Island School District was allegedly using a hidden camera to catch one of its teachers looking at adult nude photos. Investigators say 33-year-old Michael Zuch of Buffalo, a 7th grade social studies teacher at Connor Middle School, was apparently viewing the pictures he took on his personal laptop computer. One parent says it's disturbing that something like this happened on school grounds.

Court records show the middle school installed the hidden camera in his classroom weeks ago, after a staff member complained he was allegedly looking at these photos during classroom hours. In Zuch's statement to police, when asked if he viewed them with students around, he responded, "I don't believe that I have." Superintendent Robert Christmann says he doesn't believe at this point students ever witnessed any of the photographs on Zuch's computer, but the investigation continues.

In his statement, Zuch goes on to say he's a photographer on the side and did show nude photos to teachers while at school, something he says he regrets. Zuch is now on paid administrative leave and facing a charge of attempted endangering the welfare of a child. Letters were sent home to parents after school on Thursday. Christmann says the school district takes anything that would compromise the safety of students seriously and they moved quickly once these allegations came to light.