School investigates gay porn allegedly shown in class

By MARK HEDLUND, News10 Sacramento   

FAIRFIELD, CA - School administrators are investigating an art teacher at Armijo High School who allegedly flashed a pornographic picture on the screen during class Monday.

The incident happened during a project in a computer graphic arts class Monday morning, according to several students. The impression was the image was accidentally projected during a lesson on how to use Adobe Photoshop. As the image remained on the screen four to five seconds, several students say it sent the teacher scrambling to quickly take it off the screen.

"He was just clicking on random files, all of a sudden this big image of literally gay porn shows up," said freshman Chris Matthews. "And he's going crazy, looking. Just that by that reaction that shows that he didn't expect it."

Matthews was one of two students who say they went to the principal to report what happened.

"It was disturbing, shocking. The class was in a shambles afterwards. He couldn't get anyone into order. He couldn't get anyone to work," said Matthews.

The second student reporting it, 17-year-old junior Wesley Lynam, sent a text message to his mother after the incident that said, "My teacher accidentally brought up his gay porn."

When Sheila Harmon received the text, she said she was stunned and upset.

"It takes my breath away. It's upsetting, very upsetting," said Harmon. She texted her son back for more information.

"I wanted to know who saw it. The he texted me back and said the whole class saw it. The whole class," she said.

"I would say he was mad, mad and disgusted," Harmon said about her son's reaction. "Like I say, the rules are very tight about pornography at school and here it's the teacher looking at it. I think he should be fired," said Harmon.

The image was two men involved in a graphic sex act, according to students in the class.

On Tuesday afternoon, three other students who say they are in the class all confirmed to News10 that the pornographic picture was displayed on the projected screen from the teacher's computer and that it seemed to be accidental. Some say they were offended, while others said the class just laughed when the picture popped up. Some say the teacher denied the picture was his, while others claim the teacher showed little reaction and simply continued with the class.

"He was like, 'oh oh oh no.' Then he was like hid it away and just kept on going like nothing happened," said freshman Garett Cameron.

"He showed it and he clicked out of it really quick," added sophomore Joshua Moose.

Armijo Principal Steven Peters said the first he heard of the incident was from an inquiry by News10 Tuesday morning. By the afternoon, he was interviewing the first two students who reported the picture, as well as others in the class. He said he's also talked with the teacher.

"Right now we're continuing the investigation. We'll send the information to the district office," said Peters. As for whether or not the teacher would still be allowed to be in the classroom, Peters said that's a personnel decision on which he can't comment.

The incident has had a lasting impression on students who were there.
"I was like wow, that's odd that a teacher would have that on his computer at school," said senior Livia Qasevakatini.

"Well, I know how it happened but I just don't know why he would have it on his computer. It's kind of questionable, yeah," added Cameron.

Fairfield police say they're unaware of the incident, but that it likely wouldn't be a criminal violation if there was no intent to show a pornographic image to minors, according to Sgt. Joel Orr. It is not illegal for adults to possess adult pornography.