Goleta teacher arrested for secretly recording minors, including at his school

A Goleta teacher was arrested Saturday for secretly recording children with hidden devices.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 54-year-old Steven Schapansky on Tuesday, alleging he secretly recorded children in several locations, including Santa Barbara Charter School where he worked.

The sheriff's office said those locations included areas where the children would change clothing.

Schapansky was booked for invasion of privacy with a recording device — a misdemeanor — and has since been released.

Deputies learned of Schapansky's use of hidden recording devices after receiving a report that the devices were found in his possession on Friday, July 12. He was arrested the following day.

Santa Barbara Charter School's staff page on its website is no longer active . It's unclear when the page became inactive. KTLA reported Schapansky's profile on the school's website was gone as of Tuesday.

An archived version of the staff page from internet archive nonprofit Wayback Machine says Schapansky taught fifth and sixth grades at the charter school.

The sheriff's office did not say for how long Schapansky had been secretly recording children or how many were affected.

Deputies are working to identify the juvenile victims who were recorded, the sheriff's office said.

Victims can contact the Victim-Witness Assistance Program at (805) 568-2400.