A Patrick J. Kennedy School’s gym teacher was arraigned on four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child last Thursday after he allegedly touched the chests, legs and buttocks of four students at the school during gym class.
Nicholas Speller, 31, of Malden, was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court on four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child, aggravated by the factor that he is a teacher and mandated reporter. East Boston Municipal Court Judge John McDonald set bail at $2,500 and ordered that he wear a GPS monitor, abide by a curfew, submit to drug and alcohol testing, and stay away from the victim, witnesses, location of offense, and children under 16 while the case is pending.
“In this particular situation he (Speller) was a PE teacher, we are going to make sure that there are two people outside when young people are outside during PE,” said Superintendent Tommy Chang in a statement.
Speller has been placed on paid administrative leave by the Boston Public Schools.
According to court documents four, fourth-grade girls ran to the principal’s office at the Kennedy School after gym class and reported to school administrators that Speller touched their chests, legs and buttocks while he was allegedly drunk. According to reports, Speller allegedly cornered one 10-year-old girl in a closet.
“Mr. Speller asked her to put something away in a closet,” said Assistant District Attorney Brian LeBlanc at Speller’s arraignment last week. “After she walked into the closet Mr. Speller followed her, shut the door, and she told the principal he rubbed her neck and chest area.”
According to reports Speller “apologized to another girl after touching her breasts and then allegedly whispered in her ear to ‘come with me I want to show you something’.”
After last week’s incident Chang immediately called a meeting at the Eastie school and met with 150 parents and answered questions for an hour and half.
Speller is due back in court on June 12.