(Photo – René Mentschke)
On Wednesday, March 1, Pasadena police arrested McKinley middle school teacher, Michael Joseph Medina, 34 of Glendale, on suspicion of lewd acts with a child, oral copulation with a minor, lewd acts with a minor under 14, sending harmful matter to seduce a minor, and possession of child pornography.
By Cheryl Cabot
Dr. Merian Stewart, principal of Pasadena’s McKinley School, sent an e-mail to parents alerting them to “allegations of inappropriate behavior by a teacher in our middle school. Given the serious nature of the allegations, we immediately reported this to the Pasadena Police Department. After an initial investigation, the Police Department took the teacher into custody.”
Medina was immediately placed on administrative leave, and police booking records show he posted bond and was released late Wednesday night. He had been working at McKinley since August 2022. It was not clear if the alleged crimes occurred on campus or elsewhere.
“We have and will continue to fully cooperate with the Pasadena Police Department. The safety of our students is always our highest priority and we are committed to following all safety policies and procedures. If true, the allegations are deeply troubling. We will be working to support all of our students and staff,” Dr. Stewart said.
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