By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – For the second time in just over a year, another Amherst school teacher is accused of downloading child pornography. The Amherst Central School District is notifying parents, and the teacher is suspended.
Amherst police say they have charged 34-year-old Peter Nagy of East Aurora with six felony counts of child pornography for allegedly downloading on a school computer. Nagy has been with the Amherst Central School district since 1995. He currently teaches at Amherst Middle and Smallwood Elementary and has been suspended with pay.
Investigators seized computers from his home and school. Superintendent Dennis Ford says so far the investigation has revealed that no students were involved.
"We've been told by the Amherst Police department and investigators at this time there is no evidence that would suggest our students had any kind of involvement at all," Ford said.
In November 2002, a 29-year old Smallwood teacher was also charged as part of a national and international child porn ring. Ford says the school district was already monitoring district computer usage prior to that case which is still pending. Even with stepped up monitoring, Ford says he doesn't know what the solution would be to prevent it from happening not only in Amherst, but in all school districts.
"I do know that if you don't monitor, you may never find that it is happening," Ford said. "That is something that we chose not to do. Our staff realizes that we will monitor our system and will continue to monitor."
The district sent students home with letters and also conducted a mailing explaining the situation to parents. Ford says they will continue to work with the Amherst Police.
The Board of Education will also determine if disciplinary charges should be filed. Nagy was free on bail and must return to court in March.