Justine Betti catches gym teacher stealing from backpacks on camera
February 27th, 2013
When most high school students have a problem the first thing they do is bring it to the attention of the authorities, usually a teacher. So, when things started going missing from backpacks at Linden High School in California, many students starting pointing fingers at each other. But Justine Betti had the foresight to set up a sting operation for the thief. What she discovered was shocking to many, but not to me.
Justine Betti hid inside a locker in the school gym, where the items were going missing. What she witnessed was a popular teacher and 30 year veteran going through student’s backpacks and removing money. She said:
“I didn’t want to believe that she would do something like that because she was so nice, but then she did it.”
To get the evidence she needed she put herself in the locker again, but this time she brought a camera to record what she’d seen, and set up a second camera in another locker to capture another angle.
She took the video to the principal. She says:
“He said that he’ll investigate it and he told us to delete the video, but I had already sent it to my dad. Others had also sent the video out by then.”
There’s something despicable about this principal telling her to delete the video. When faced with a member of his staff stealing from students, at the top of his list of priorities is public relations. He essentially told her to destroy evidence of a crime he had just said he’d investigate. It sure seems like he’s covering for the teacher.
The school district and local authorities are investigating the thief, and the unnamed teacher has been placed on administrative leave. I can’t help but think that that sounds exactly like what happens whenever police investigate themselves.
So bravo to Justine Betti for her awesome investigative work. I only hope that she stays on the story, and if the thief doesn’t face some consequences she’ll out their name and make them a social pariah wherever they end up working.
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