A popular music teacher with a 27-year career, is under investigation for keeping child pornography on his computer, some of which includes disturbing pictures of his own students in their classrooms.
Lawrence Joynes, 54, a teacher for 10 years at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School in Montgomery County, Maryland, was arrested in February after police traced emails between him and a suspected child porn producer.
A collection of disturbing photographs, recovered by police show Joynes sticking his finger into the mouths of 'approximately seven' students and putting a peppermint stick into a young girl's mouth.
Bad man: Lawrence Joynes, 57, a music teacher in Maryland, is in jail after police discoevred child pornography on his computer along with inappropriate photographs and videos of his own students
Last June he sent one such video to producer, Gerald Roberts in South Carolina, with an accompanying message that read: 'Try some pics like these.'
Since his arrest, Mr Joynes has also confessed that, having fantasised about one 7-year-old in particular, he gave her a 'horsey' ride on his lap and got a tattoo of her name on his right shoulder.
'When you put it all together it’s extremely disturbing,' Lisa Dever, a Baltimore County prosecutor told the Washington Post. 'He had access to kids. Every year, a new batch of kids.'
Parents and staff are angry with school authorities for not having taken more seriously the various complaints of inappropriate behaviour that were lodged prior to his arrest, based on student testimony.
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One child said Joynes had asked to be called 'daddy' and another said Joynes made comments about drug addiction.
Two former teachers at New Hampshire - a pre-kindergarten to second grade school - admitted they had reported him for locking his classroom door when inside with the children.
Mary Silverman said she reported Joynes for this as well as for hugging a young girl between his legs as he sat on a stool.
Ms Silverman's colleague, Ellen Holder, told the principal that a child had told her Joynes had been tickling her in one class.
Though there was nothing 'criminal' about either accusation, parents feel that the complaints should have raised alarm bells.
Too little too late? Parents and teachers at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School, Montgomery County, are upset that student's previous complaints of disturbing behaviour did not sound alarm bells for school authorities
'It's hard to imagine how he remained in place teaching such young children for so long, given the string of complaints,' said Luis Clemens, the parent of a former student
In response, community superintendent for the county, Bronda Mills, assured worried parents and staff that the school system would be reviewing how the case was handled.
At a meeting of 75 parents including principal of the school for the past three years, Marinda Thomas Evans, Ms Mills insisted: 'I assure you that when I have the evidence and the pattern, I move it to the next level.'
Joynes has taught at 11 Montgomery public schools in total, including Eastern Middle, Francis Scott Key Middle and Cannon Road Elementary.
A spokesman for the school system, Dana Tofig, backed up Ms Mills' reaction, explaining that a school investigation would be led after the criminal investigation was complete.
'We have - and will continue - to take swift action if we become aware of inappropriate conduct by a member of our staff,' she said. 'We expect our staff to act in the best interest of students at all times, and the vast majority do.'
Regarding previous complaints against Joynes she added: 'Never have I received information that this teacher was taking inappropriate pictures of children... or anything that would make me believe I needed to report something to the police.'
For now, police are talking to the students and former pupils who were involved in some of Joynes' questionable activities.
Lt. Bob Carter, acting commander of the Family Crimes Division, noted: 'In retrospect, they now realize they'd been put in a horrible position by someone they trusted. This is painful for them.'
Joynes is being held in Baltimore County on $1 million bond