Parents at a special education school in the Bronx were left in shock after learning that a teacher had been accused of exposing himself and engaging in lewd behavior in front of students. Dana Barschdorf, 44, was charged with two counts of attempted lewdness, with sources revealing that he allegedly inserted his genitalia into a Lysol container.
One parent, Ana Rodriguez, expressed her concerns about Barschdorf, who was her son’s gym teacher. She mentioned that she always had a gut feeling that something was off about him. Rodriguez, a stay-at-home mom, dropped her 10-year-old son off at PS 723 building on Webster Avenue, which caters to autistic elementary students.
Rodriguez shared her worries about her son not being able to communicate if something inappropriate had happened to him at school due to his developmental disabilities. She emphasized the importance of advocating for her son in such situations.
The news of the allegations left other parents in the school community scared and outraged. One mother, who was sending her son to school for the third day, expressed her concerns about not being informed of the arrest by the school administrators. This lack of communication added to her anxiety about the situation.
The Department of Education promptly responded by reassigning Barschdorf pending an investigation. An agency spokesperson condemned the alleged behavior as completely unacceptable. It was reported that other staff members had alerted the authorities about Barschdorf’s actions.
Barschdorf, who reportedly earned close to $100,000 annually in 2024, had not been arraigned as of Wednesday night. The incident has left the school community shaken and concerned about the safety and well-being of the students in the special education program. The school and authorities are working together to address the situation and ensure the safety of all students.
