Middle School Gym Teacher Accused Of Forcible Touching

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The NYPD wants your help locating a middle school teacher for alleged inappropriate contact with students.

Brett Bernstein was a teacher at Harlem Prep Middle School. He is accused of kissing two 14-year-old girls on three occasions this month. He also is accused of grabbing their hands and placing them on his midsection.

Bernstein, 32, also allegedly sent images of his midsection and upper body to each victim, police said.

Bernstein has been fired.

"We are doing everything we can to support and counsel our students and we are assisting the police with their investigation," Harlem Prep Middle School said in a statement.

Parents at the school expressed shock to CBS2's Steve Langford.

"Having your child exposed to a teacher that can harm them, that's not good," one said.

"Send your kids to school to learn and be safe, not to be concerned about somebody sexually touching them," said another.

Bernstein is about 5'11 and weighs 220 pounds, police said.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or in Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also log on to the Crime Stoppers website or by texting a tip to CRIMES (274637) and then entering TIP577.