Twice-Arrested Teacher Is Placed on Sick Leave

A Fullerton junior high school teacher whose reinstatement after two lewd conduct arrests drew the wrath of parents has been placed on sick leave, a district official said Wednesday.

The social studies teacher, King Steadman, 44, offered to take the sick leave while members of the Fullerton School District board reconsider his status, board president John Bedell said. The board is expected to rule on Steadman’s employment at a Sept. 13 meeting, Bedell added.

Steadman’s case was discussed Monday night during a lengthy closed session of the school board. About three dozen parents attended the open session of the meeting, Bedell said.

An eighth grade teacher at D. Russell Parks Junior High, Steadman was reinstated in March after a six-month suspension. School board members have refused to explain the action, citing privacy laws regarding personnel matters.

Steadman was arrested last fall in an adult bookstore in Fontana on suspicion of lewd conduct and indecent exposure. He later pleaded no contest to the lewd-conduct charge in a plea-bargain. San Bernardino County court records show Steadman served one day in jail on the conviction and received two years’ probation. It was then that Steadman was suspended from teaching for six months.

In 1981, Steadman was arrested in the men’s restroom of Hillcrest Park in Fullerton on suspicion of lewd conduct. However, that charge was dropped after Steadman pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace.