Education

• Mar 11, 2008 5:02 pm US/Pacific
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  Mills HS Teacher Accused Of Filming Girls Restroom

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Mills HS Teacher Accused Of Filming Girls Restroom

 Download Principal's Letter About Accused Teacher (.pdf)

MILLBRAE (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ― Millbrae police are sifting through evidence against a Mills High School teacher who allegedly confessed to videotaping girls using cameras he installed in the main restroom at the high school, officials said Tuesday.

David Lista, 35, an English teacher and student body advisor, was placed on administrative leave until police complete their investigation. 

Officers searched Lista's Belmont home last week looking for evidence of the improper filming, but found a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia instead, Millbrae police Sgt. John Aronis said.

According to Aronis, Lista confessed to police about his alleged role in the illegal filming.

Police began investigating Lista after a San Mateo Union High School District tech coordinator identified a server that was overloaded, according to district Superintendent David Miller. The tech coordinator went to the site and discovered about 35 graphic photos, Miller said, and immediately alerted district officials and police.

Police believe Lista installed cameras through the wall of his classroom. Miller said Lista's classroom closet area borders on the girls' restroom.

It appears that the illicit filming took place for about a month or two, according to Aronis. The video, which appears to be of good graphic quality, is being forensically analyzed. 

Linn was released on $10,000 bail after being arrested last week on a drug charge related to the meth found in his home, San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Lista, who has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the hidden video camera, is scheduled to appear in court on the drug charge on April 8.

Once the police investigation into the filming concludes, the district attorney's office will determine whether or not to file felony or misdemeanor charges against Lista.

"A felony or misdemeanor depends on what he was doing. If he was simply taking pictures it is a misdemeanor charge, but if you copy it and distribute it, then it becomes a felony," Wagstaffe said.

It wasn't immediately clear if Lista had hired a lawyer.

For now, students, faculty and teachers at Mills are picking up the pieces and moving on, Miller said.

"We're all shocked and saddened," Miller said. "But at the same time, this behavior does not represent the behavior from the wonderful teachers in this district."

He said he plans to "follow this through to the fullest extent of the law and the educational code. As he (Lista) has confessed to this, there is no possible way that he will ever return to this district to teach."

Miller said the girls' restroom where the filming allegedly took place was repainted and broken tiles were replaced.

(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.)