This teacher is innocent and the way this was handled is a disgrace. After he is found innocent I hope he sues the school board so badly that he never has to work again and the school has to shut down. They don’t deserve to operate a school system if this is how investigations are carried out.

this exact thing happened to Mr. Franks, my gym teacher from LVCSD a few years back. I grew up in LV and still live in it and work here. i believe that this is ridiculous. Mr. Franks was proven innocent after his life came crumbling down from false accusations. the parents in this area baby their children and take even a pat on the back as inappropriate. i had mr. b for 4 years and he never would have done anything to hurt a child. he was always goofy but not in the creepy molester sort of way. his passion for music and teaching children always came first, and i truly believe this is another misunderstanding that needs further research before calling him guilty. innocent until proven guilty my friends. regardless- even if he is proven innocent, just like mr.franks, his life is over teaching and will always have this on his back. i am very for the Benstock family.

Stay classy, Locust Valley.

I had Mr. Benstock as a teacher multiple years ago, and I must say, this is not like him at all, and I really doubt that this is true. I remember the classroom setting, and we did joke around and all but when necessary, things became serious and we would remain focused and alert. John Benstock is a sweet, caring man, and even though I am no longer his student, we still kept in touch. Yes, he was a little wacky, but that added to his persona, and was why my friends and I adored orchestra.

Being a student of the high school, I have to say, I blame members of our district. There are without a DOUBT over-reactive parents who will go on and stretch the truth, or misinterpret what a child is saying. Weren’t there false accusations years ago about another male teacher? People disgust me. I mean, I *know* deep down that he would never do such a thing and this is all a misunderstanding. You know how the rumor mill is.

And also, not everything children say is credible. There are children, in 6th grade, about 11 years old, talking about drugs, sex, and alcohol. All within the Bayville community. They’re (hopefully) making all of this up, but who’s to say that a child two years younger wouldn’t do the same thing? All it takes is a little white lie and then all of this explodes in our faces.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I understand the obligation to look into child molestation matters for the safety of the community, but you have the wrong man.

I think that sounds like a freudian slip peeved parent. Authorities or school officials should not advise anyone of anything until all facts are collected. Questioing young children about specifics is not how these things are best handled. Educate yourself on the subject then spout your tirade about how officials should have handled this.

I think that was a Freudian slip frankly

I have known john for over 15 years and find it disgusting that this is being handled this way. If you recall this school district has a history of slandering and defaming innocent people. A few years ago a gym teacher was totally destroyed by the false accusations of a group of disturbed and sick girls. Innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately if this proves false there will be no repairing the damage. If this accusation is so grave, why is the charge only a misdemeanor. Wake up people

I’m currently a high schooler of the district and I remember having him in 3rd grade. I can definitely see him being guilty because I do remember him being very “physical” with other male students sometimes females. I don’t think if he was innocent this would have been such a big deal. And can everyone stop saying “she” or “10year old” because it doesn’t specify gender in any article same with age it does say 10 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER though. Meaning they can range anywhere from about 8 to 10. Also i’d like to state that they really shouldn’t have posted his mug shot because he wasn’t even proven guilty yet. This just goes to show how wonderful us people of “lowclass valley” are. haha

I have no Doubt in my mind that this benstock is guilty. He never seemed quite right and somebody finally confronted the situation. Not only does he not deserve suspension from work WITH pay but deserves to me a nice large guy in prison to put him on the other end of the spectrum and maybe a little more. Tis guy will be tossing salad in prison in no time

I had mr benstock as my music teacher for about 2 years he was always so nice and caring. Inapropriate touching could be anything, a pat on the leg, a tap on the back, remember innocent until proven guilty. And to assume makes an ass out of you and me.

I would not be surprised if this is false for I used to go to that school and I work there in the summer as a camp counselor and the inappropriate and disgusting lies and things that these kids say would surprise anyone. There have been many accounts of kids getting in trouble for saying vile things and the parents yell at us instead and for kids even running up to even me and doing things like slapping my rear end / or trying to smack me in the crotch as I pass by.
Im not saying they are all like this but there are quite a few and I personally blame the huge amount of careless parents that are in the area and are quick to point fingers, yell at the teachers, and make threats rather than talk to their own kid and maybe discipline them.

I am a former student of Mr. Benstock. While he is quirky and joking with the kids, he is always professional when he needs to be. He is a really nice person and a great teacher. I know him and know that he would never do that. I feel that this is an over reaction and possibly false accusations. I have looked into this and there is not one thing that states what happened other than “there was a touching innocent” the only further explanation I ever got was “it has something to do with a ribbon”.
And I for one am appalled that this is on the internet as this is a violation against his civil rights and he is innocent until proven guilty. I will wait to hear the full testimony before I make a judgment.

I don’t know whether to believe this or not. I, having known him when I was in Bayville Intermediate, remember him being kind of strange. However, I think that it is very unjust of our society to put this picture of him on the internet before a fair trial has been ruled. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I know many people that are shocked that Mr. Benstock would do this to a child, many people trusted him, and it is a true shame that he did this.

My sons had taken private lessons from him and he is not a molester. He is a very caring and passionate man. He lives in the community and would do anything to help anyone. We need to protect our children but condemning a man before his trial is unjust.

As a teacher, from Associates Degree to Masters and two teaching licenses, I never went through a course, even in methodology, dealing with PROFESSIONALISM. This inappropriate and unprofessional conduct is becoming an epidemic. All teachers should have to take courses on professionalism. Sexual misconduct notwithstanding, I see teacher after teacher, particularly the new generation, which I am a part of, befriending their students. That is NOT PART OF YOUR JOB! You are there to inspire, offer guidance, listen, and teach…not be a friend to your students. Unbelievable!

how long have investigators sat on this information? ny investigator richard condon has often looked for a particular color in going forward w investigations … usu green or black. shame that parents are posting that they heard about this prior – who did parents report to?

I have a student in his class and my child told me there was a lot of touching and poking by all students. from what my child said, it doesn’t surprise me that it DID happen. My child actually saw another student put his or her hands down his pants!

This is a very terrible act if it actually happened. If it did happen I hope they build a special prison for him. As an educator it is a part of his responsibility to protect children entrusted to his care. If it did not happen her parent best have a good lawyer because this man may have a very good slander case especially with his face all over the news.

I completely agree !! I’m a parent of one of the kids from his class and from what I’ve heard, he’s a great teacher !! This is ridiculous and so unfair that they put up his pictures before proven guilty.. Very sad..

well i don’t even really know what half of this even means, but i had him and he was awesome and didn’t seem like he would ever do that. he was really nice and look at the picture…it looks like he’s about to cry! even though what he did is wrong, i bet none of you really even know him and i’ve known him almost my whole life…i would never believe he would do this…i hope didn’t do this…how did they even find out? that is what i would like to know. well whatever happens or happened i doubt he’ll ever get any job now. if anybody knows how they found out i would really like to know

If this guy is proven guilty, then lock him up and throw away the key. HOWEVER, our system of justice is not under Napoleonic Law, where one is considered guilty until proven innocent.

he needs to be raped, and thrown in jail

Umm… as a parent of a child in this school, I’d sure like to know where my phone call from the district regarding this is. Why did my teenage sister just point me here?

Why is this mans photo being released to the media when he has not been convited of any crime. Innocent until proven guilty. This is a violation of the privacy act and a violation of his civil rights.

The police should investigate first and just listen to a 10 year old talk.

What a jerk. And Hector hell you can goto hell because she is under 10 and may not have known what she was doing