Edhat Staff
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a Goleta man for recording juveniles using hidden recording devices in several locations, including the school where he was employed.
On Friday, July 12, 2024, deputies received a report of secret recording devices that were found in the suspect’s possessions.
Through their investigation, deputies identified the suspect as 54-year-old Steven Schapansky, a teacher at Santa Barbara Charter School.
Detectives arrested Schapansky on Saturday, July 13, 2024, and booked him at the Main Jail for invasion of privacy with a recording device (misdemeanor). He has since been released.
Schapansky teaches 5th and 6th grades, according to a page on the school’s website that has since been removed.
The school serves approximately 240 children from grades K-6th grade on their campus at 6100 Stow Canyon Road in Goleta.
Detectives are conducting extensive follow up on this case to identify the juvenile victims who were recorded without their knowledge. These recordings were captured at various locations, in areas where juveniles would change clothing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives are working closely with administrators from the Santa Barbara Charter School to coordinate outreach and support services.
Sheriff’s detectives coordinate closely with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, Victim-Witness Program to ensure the needs of victims are not overshadowed by the focus on the investigation and prosecution of the accused.
Advocates are available to ensure that victims are kept informed and supported throughout the criminal justice process. Victims have the option of contacting the Victim-Witness Assistance Program directly at 805-568-2400 or toll free at 855-840-3232.
Since juveniles are involved, seems like this should be more than a misdemeanor.
But hey, a presidential candidate has barged in and stared at naked teen pageant contestants and then publicly bragged about it. And now people are clamoring to vote for him.
Seems like societal norms are crumbling all over the place. It’s a grim reflection of our times that our kids can’t feel safe in their schools for far too many reasons.
Not to be confused with another presidential candidate that took inappropriate showers with his daughter.
Gee Helena, you are not naming names but I think you are talking about the convicted felon who talks about how sexy his daughter is and who was very close friends with Jeffrey Epstein.
HELENA – exactly! Not to mention the guns they allow to threaten our children while they boast of being “pro life.”
yeah, they’re “pro life” up until the baby is born then they could care less. it’s all about controlling women. telling them what they can and cannot do with their bodies. sickening what the GQP has become.
RUBY – why would I be in the classroom? And what would you do? You’re the ones letting criminals and pyschos buy whatever kind of guns they want so don’t sit there talking about the children. You’re ilk don’t care about the children once they’re born.
Cutting education, welfare, allowing guns for all… don’t lecture us about caring for (living) children. Sorry, that stuff pisses me off.
Male macho fantasy and insanity from the gun nut crowd.
Maybe men shouldn’t be around children. Not at school, church, Boy Scouts, sports, daycares, etc. etc.
Also reminds me of that viral TikTok trend where men are asked if they’d prefer their young daughter be alone in the woods with a man or a bear. Almost all men said bear. When asked if it was a woman or bear, almost all men said a woman. Pretty telling don’t you think?
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/asking-my-dad-if-he-would-rather-let-a-bear-or-a-man
ANON – no, that’s incredibly sexist and just plain unreasonable. No different than saying people of a certain race shouldn’t be around children because some individuals of that race have committed crimes.
The answer is fully vetting anyone who is around kids. Full background checks, etc. In addition, anyone with a sex related criminal record should be banned for life from working any where close to children. Finally, this should be more than a misdemeanor and he should still be in jail.
Most people in these roles are fully “vetted.” The comment is in jest but isn’t it statistically straight white men responsible for most child molestations?
SBSURFER – yes, but there’s always more they can check. Teachers and aides don’t go through the same background checks as say, secret service agents…
And yes about the stats, but what do we do?
I can’t say for certain what “should” be done but it’s interesting to me when looking at the numbers. Maybe enacting something like doctor’s offices when there’s a body exam, always have a female staffer present in the exam room with the patient and male doctor. There’s a reason that is done now.
ANON – a female present for boys’ exams too? Not sure that is done anywhere I’ve been.
So, would we add a female staff member to be in every class and chaperone the kids in locker rooms, etc? Tough question and a tough issue. Remember also, plenty female teachers have been in trouble for inappropriate relations with students. Not nearly as many as men, granted, it’s a thing also.
There can be an argument made that there should be two adults, male and female present, at all times with kids.
I used to coach youth sports and that rule was implemented at all practices. It’s sad but it is a rule that protects kids and also adults from ever being in a situation where they have been alone with a child and become targeted by suspicion.
I had a couple of experiences where I was the only coach on site (other volunteers no showed last minute) and then a kid had a ride that didn’t show and asked if I could give them a ride home (female) and I absolutely had to say no. So we waited for a couple of hours for a negligent parent to get around to showing up. My choices were to leave the child there alone as night was falling or wait with them, so I waited with them–also not a good situation for me.
Things like that happened a couple of times and eventually I decided that it wasn’t worth it–so I no longer coach youth sports.
ALEX – good point. How to implement a 2 adult staff in a larger school setting, though? Sounds like it’s worth it to figure out. Have 2 non-related adults in the locker rooms and anywhere else situations like this could happen.
The right are gonna hate it though – it will cost them some of those tax pennies. But hey, they’re the party of children protectors, right?
He was fully vetted. He was my child’s teacher for 2 years. I would have voted him teacher of the year, the entire charter school community loved him. My children idolized him. When I tell you there were no signs, there were NO signs. My child has been in his house and his daughter in mine, we used to carpool to sports.
This has been a harsh realization for myself and all of SB Charter School that you can never fully trust anyone, sadly. Especially with your kids.
I am so sorry you and your family are going through this. I’ve heard nothing but good things about SB Charter until this.
NOBODY – I’m so sorry to hear this! Yeah, even vetting can’t always be 100%. It’s scary to think how many others there might be like this.
Fellow parent here whose child had Steve as a teacher. There were NO SIGNS and I absolutely agree that everyone would have voted him teacher of the year. Also, he has kids, which made a lot of us feel very safe around him—he’s a fellow parent and amazing teacher, why would we in a million years think he’d be hiding cameras around?
Unfortunately, this is how grooming works, and our whole community was groomed to feel very safe around him and our kids. It’s a huge learning lesson.
As for the comments on this thread bashing men I want to say this-> This is *one* disturbed individual and in no way should be used as an indictment of male educators or men in general. I’ve never seen blanket statements about women not being allowed to work around children when abuse happens at the hands of female educators (and that definitely happens, too).
This is such a dumb thing to say.
How so? Do you feel comfortable sending your child to a sleep away camp with only male advisors, or a boy scout trip, or what about being an altar boy? I haven’t heard many stories or read reports of nuns or Girl Scout leaders sexually abusing children.
This is what he said: Maybe men shouldn’t be around children. Not at school, church, Boy Scouts, sports, daycares, etc. etc.
School, Church, Sports! What??? Most coaches are men. Give me a break. Again, dumb thing to say.
What a sick piece of garbage!
I’m thinking…. #woodchipper
Welcome to the Sex Offender Registry, short eyes.
Super confused on how the officers only charged him with invasion of privacy (misdemeanor).I would think a pretty long list of charges when children are involved. !?!? Wtf. Someone needs to get them back involved and re-book this pos. Or ya, the woodchipper.
I’m hoping the investigation is ongoing and they’re looking for more evidence and victims as they build the case for potentially more charges. I would assume they wanted to get him charged with at least something to get him away from the school/kids and inform parents.