Annapolis, Md. (WBFF) — An Anne Arundel County teacher accused of sexually abusing students in his third-grade class will be in court Monday, May 19, 2025, to face a jury.

The case against Matthew Schlegel captured the attention of the Baltimore region. But, over the past few years, this area has seen many instances where educators betrayed the public’s trust.

Project Baltimore was there, in May of 2024, when Anne Arundel County Police arrested Matthew Schlegel at his home in Severna Park. According to court documents, Schlegel, a third-grade teacher at Severna Park Elementary, allegedly sexually abused eight students. According to charging documents, the eight alleged victims are all former students of Schlegel who say he touched them inappropriately. Police say the alleged abuse occurred between August of 2022 and March 2024, in Schlegel’s classroom during the school day.

Following a court hearing, last year, Schlegel’s friends and family declined to speak with Project Baltimore. In court, where cameras are not allowed, prosecutors said Schlegel used his status as a “beloved” teacher to “prey upon” children. Prior to his arrest, Schlegel taught in Anne Arundel County for 16 years. He spent the first eight at Tyler Heights Elementary in Annapolis before transferring to Severna Park in 2016.

Schlegel faces 55 total charges including multiple counts of sex abuse of a minor. But Schlegel is just one of many educators in our area, who over the past few years, have betrayed the public’s trust.

A Project Baltimore investigation found at least 20 educators, including Schlegel, since 2022, who have been charged or convicted of sexual offenses involving a minor. Educators from private and public schools.

In 2022, Anne Arundel County teacher Jennifer Arnold was found guilty of sexually abusing a former student.

In 2024, Gilman School teacher Christopher Bendann was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison for child sex abuse.

Also in 2024, Melissa Curtis was arrested and found guilty of sexual abusing one of her former students, while teaching, years earlier, at a public middle school in Montgomery County. Curtis was sentenced to 30 years. But 29 of those years were suspended. She is currently serving 12 months.

And later this year, former Prince George’s County elementary school teacher Mark Cobb will be in court to face charges of coercion and enticement of a child and for possession of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 10 years to life in federal prison.

The list of educators Fox45 News gathered is not comprehensive. There could be many more. The Maryland State Department of Education maintains a list of educators who have lost their teaching licenses for a variety of reasons – some criminal, some not criminal. There are hundreds of names on the list dating back to the 1990s.