Parents learn about pornography charges brought against Tahoe teacher

A former teacher at Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School accused of possessing and manufacturing child pornography reportedly had more than 500 photographs and videos, according to authorities.

Ten minutes after the first day of school began at the kindergarten- through-fifth grade magnet site, parents and others filed into the campus multi-purpose room for a debriefing on the case against the accused teacher, Karsten Gronwold, 49, who was taken into custody Friday.

Although the investigation is not complete, there was no indication of wrongdoing at the school, El Dorado County sheriff's Sgt. Don Atkinson said. An affidavit filed Tuesday supporting the search warrant and criminal complaint stated Gronwold used his laptop computer owned by the district to access images of children engaged in sexual conduct.

Atkinson asked parents whose children might have spent time with Gronwold outside of school - in capacities such as child sitting, outings with Gronwold or interaction at Boys Scouts or the Boys & Girls Club - to contact the sheriff's department. They should bring pictures of their children so investigators can compare them with pictures on Gronwold's seized computers, Atkinson said. Gronwold's involvement in the two youth organizations is unclear.

Part of the reason for the request was to identify any south Tahoe children who may have been targeted, Atkinson said.

A majority of the indecent pictures were of boys, Atkinson said. A search warrant allowed authorities to look through Gronwold's home and vehicle, he said.

"There's a lot of photographic and computer evidence that we have to look at forensically," Atkinson said.

Authorities are looking into whether charges of a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 14 and sexual exploitation of a child could apply, Atkinson said.

Gronwold was a teacher with the district since 1990, working at Tahoe Valley Elementary, South Tahoe Middle School and the environmental school. He taught second grade at the school in Meyers, played guitar during assemblies and helped spearhead technology into the school's curriculum. He has two children.

Most parents and staff learned of Gronwold's arrest Saturday when Superintendent Jim Tarwater, who also serves as magnet school principal, sent a recorded message via a phone system capable of delivering information to hundreds of households at the same time.

Also at the meeting was Human Resources Director Beth Delacour, Atkinson, a handful of counselors and Director of Special Education Services Marie Meagher.

"I think it was handled very well," said Christina Proctor, president of the school's parent-teacher association.

"We're just totally surprised," said parent Kristi Leonard. "We're grateful the school district is supporting us as well as they are. Sympathies go out to his wife and children, big time.

"When accurate information is put out, people don't have to question and put out unknowns," she added.

Delacour said the teachers hired by the school district undergo fingerprinting for background checks with the Department of Justice, FBI and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Gronwold had no criminal history relating to child pornography or lewd conduct with children, Atkinson said.

He is being held at Sacramento County Main Jail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. in federal court.