Barstow teacher not charged with inappropriate conduct

This is an updated version of a story posted earlier on Friday.

BARSTOW — A Barstow Junior High School teacher arrested earlier this year on suspicion of molesting students will not be charged with a crime.

Michael Fermin, supervising deputy district attorney at the Barstow courthouse, said Friday that the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office elected not to file charges against Gerard Schrader.

Barstow Police Department served a search warrant on the teacher’s house and arrested him Feb. 15 on suspicion of committing lewd or lascivious acts with children. The Barstow Unified School District contacted the police after conducting its own investigation based on complaints of inappropriate contact lodged by female students.

Schrader was released on bail and has remained on paid administrative leave from the school district.

Fermin said that based on the information available, his office did not believe it would be able to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, but he declined to elaborate further. Because of the sensitive nature of the case, it was also reviewed by Gary Roth, chief deputy district attorney for the Desert-Mountain region, Fermin said.

Speaking on behalf of the Schrader family, Gerard’s wife Lyn said her husband plans to continue working in the district.

“After this horribly long nightmare, our family is overjoyed that justice has been served,” she said.

Barstow Unified School District Interim Superintendent Susan Levine also said it comes as a relief to have a resolution in the case on the horizon.

“It’s not good for the employees, not good for the district and not good for the community when someone’s just in limbo, so I’m glad a resolution is coming,” she said.

Once the district is officially notified that no charges will be filed, Levine said she will approach Schrader to ask whether he wants to continue his employment in the district.

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