WASHINGTON — A substitute teacher accused of sexually abusing an elementary school student in Montgomery County, Maryland, has taught in 43 Howard County schools over the past two years, according to Howard County interim Superintendent Michael Martirano.
Steven Katz, 59, of Columbia, Maryland, was accused of inappropriately touching a student at Montgomery County’s Cloverly Elementary School earlier this month.
The student said Katz touched him in a way that made him feel uncomfortable, according to Montgomery County police. Police then interviewed Katz, and he admitted to inappropriately touching the student.
Katz was taken into custody over the weekend and charged with sexual abuse of a minor.
In a message to parents Monday, Martirano explained that there are no complaints against Katz in Howard County. But if parents have any concerns over Katz’s contact with their children, they should contact police.
“To this point, we are not aware of any formal complaint lodged against this individual that would have permitted the system and police to conduct a child abuse investigation,” Martirano wrote in Monday’s message.
According to Howard County public school records, Martirano told parents Katz taught in 43 Howard County schools over the past two years and had worked as a substitute teacher in the county for a total of six years.
The Howard County interim superintendent included a list of schools where Katz had been a substitute teacher during the past two years, including Waverly Elementary School, Ellicott Mills Middle School and Howard High School. See the full list on the Howard County school’s website.
School officials in Howard and Montgomery counties said Katz passed background checks in each county at the time he was hired.
