A Rocklin teacher who urinated into a canister and dumped it out moments before students entered his classroom — an incident captured on video — has been placed on leave.
The cellphone video, a copy of which was obtained by The Sacramento Bee, shows the teacher in his classroom unbuttoning his pants and urinating into the container just off camera. As he buttons his pants and tucks his shirt, he can be heard saying “gosh, that’s good — gosh gosh gosh gosh gosh gosh.” As he grabs the container, he walks across the room and says “love it, love it.” Once out of frame, he can be heard apparently pouring out the liquid.
The school bell rings and students are heard entering the classroom about one minute later. Students can be heard whispering and giggling before the recording ends. It does not appear that there were any students in the classroom while the teacher was urinating.
The educator has been identified by students as Dan Champ, a sixth grade history teacher and Associated Student Body adviser at Granite Oaks Middle School. He has been teaching for more than 25 years, according to California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Champ did not respond to a request for comment.
School officials became aware of the video, taken by a student, on Feb. 25 after it was brought to their attention by a parent.
Granite Oaks families received a message that afternoon informing them that a school employee was placed on leave. The Bee learned of the developments Tuesday when it obtained its copy of the video.
“This afternoon, after school dismissal, a parent and a staff member informed the School Administration of a video showing an employee engaging in conduct inconsistent with our professional standards,” the Feb. 25 email states. “While the unverified video does not involve any students or other staff, the employee has been placed on leave while Granite Oaks Middle School and the Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) investigate the incident.
“Although we are unable to share specific details, this matter is being taken seriously and will be addressed in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, and legal requirements.”
Why the student secretly recorded Champ isn’t known. However, an eighth-grade student previously enrolled in his class told The Bee that she heard rumors at the beginning of the school year that Champ would urinate into a container between classes. The student’s mother requested that her daughter’s name not be used out of concern for privacy.
“It personally makes me feel disgusted knowing that I was in the room prior to him doing that near the spot that I used to sit,” the student said.
The student said she received the video from a friend via Snapchat.
Champ runs an educational tour program for local eighth grade students called Champ Tours with his wife. The next tour to historic landmarks across the East Coast is scheduled for March 27 and a trip to New York City is scheduled for June.
The Bee’s Nicole Buss contributed to this story.
The Sacramento Bee
Jennah Pendleton is an education reporter for The Sacramento Bee. She previously covered schools and culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. She grew up in Orange County and is a graduate of the University of Oregon.