Fort Greene

Brooklyn Tech teacher indicted for sexting obscene selfies to student

Former pilot mentored engineering students

August 26, 2014 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn Tech High School, courtesy of Google Streetview 2014
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A math and physics teacher at Brooklyn Tech High School in Fort Greene – one of the city’s most selective schools — was arrested on Tuesday for sexting “disgusting” photos of his genitals to a 16-year-old female student.

According to the NYPD spokesperson and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, Sean Shaynak, 44, of East Flatbush, was arrested off-campus at roughly 6:30 a.m.

He “flailed his arms while resisting arrest” and told arresting officer Detective Brian Driscoll, “F**k you, I’m not going anywhere!”

The mayor’s son Dante de Blasio attends Brooklyn Tech, but it is not known if he was in any of Shaynak’s classes.

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Shaynak was arraigned on Tuesday on charges of first-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor, third-degree obscenity, endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree harassment before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Martin Murphy.

“This is a disturbing allegation as schools should be safe havens for students where teachers should protect our children from, and not expose them to, such disgusting sexual images,” Kings County District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Here, the defendant is accused of betraying his position of trust and he will now be held accountable for his actions.”

The district attorney said that, according to the investigation, Shaynak, who teaches math and science, was Facebook friends with the student.

“It is alleged that he sent a photo of his genitals to the student via Snapchat on June 27, 2014, at the end of the school year. The student then preserved the image by photographing it with her cell phone,” the D.A.’s office said.

Shaynak, a former pilot, mentored physics students at the school’s Aerospace Club and in engineering projects.

On the Rate My Teachers website students described him as a “laid-back” teacher who knew his stuff but was lazy about grading students’ work.

“He definitely knows what he teaches and will explain to you very clearly. However, he doesn’t really grade your work. (All 100s.) So if you want to learn something, you better listen to him well and ask him,” one wrote.

The incident was reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the student reported it to an adult. The FBI then contacted the New York City Police Department for further investigation.

 He was ordered held on bail of $100,000 bond or $25,000 cash and to return to court on Sept. 30. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

NYPD Detectives Brian Driscoll and Owen Fronerberger of the Brooklyn Special Victims Division worked the case, with the assistance of the New York office of the FBI.

His lawyer, Howard Kirsch, had no comment, according to AP.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Janet Gleeson and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino of the District Attorney’s School Advocacy Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Colleen D. Babb.


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