A middle school teacher is being investigated by the Rocklin Police Department after he was caught on video urinating into a canister and dumping it out moments before students entered his classroom.
Eighth grade history teacher Dan Champ was placed on administrative leave Feb. 25 after school officials learned of the video. Rocklin Unified School District said that it is cooperating with the police investigation.
Rocklin Police Department Capt. Chad Morris said that they are still gathering information but have not submitted anything to the District Attorney’s office. He noted that the situation was “very nuanced” due to the questions surrounding the teacher’s right to privacy.
“Is it best practice? We can all say probably not,” Morris said. “Does it rise to the level of a crime? It depends.”
No children appeared to be in the room when Champ urinated in the container. No victim has come forward to say that they were harmed by the teacher’s conduct, Morris said.
Morris said that the key question being considered is whether Champ had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Details count for a lot: Were the windows open or closed? Was the door locked or unlocked? Did someone witness his actions in person?
A student in Champ’s class indicated that there were rumors the teacher did this often, so does it matter if it’s a pattern of behavior?
Yes and no, Morris said. If a teacher took precautions to reasonably ensure his privacy each time, such as locking the door and closing the blinds, then it likely wouldn’t rise to the level of a crime.
The district is also investigating whether Champ’s conduct violated any school policies. A spokesperson for the district said it could not share any details about the investigation.
Champ has not returned a request for comment.
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.