Swampscott teacher in racy video scandal returning to work

SWAMPSCOTT – Superintendent Lynne Celli confirmed that Middle School teacher Glenn Kane, who was suspended last year after appearing in a video she called “inappropriate,” will return to school this fall.”Mr. Kane will return to school,” Celli said at the School Committee’s Wednesday night meeting. “As of today, we’re awaiting a response from the other attorney to come to an agreement ? when we come to a settlement, that will be made public.”Kane was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation after appearing “in a video that was available on the Internet,” according to a statement from Celli at the end of May.Kane appeared in a short film called “Rook,” described as a drama about a pair of “dirty” cops, according to a website where the movie is posted. The film includes a scene where the character Kane plays and another male character perform a striptease and are shown in their underwear. The film appeared in the 48-hour Film Fest in Boston and received three awards.Wednesday night, Celli said that Kane had returned to the classroom in June. She defended the district’s suspension, but acknowledged that Kane’s behavior may not have been “illegal or dismissible.””I felt it was inappropriate, but it’s questionable if it’s a dismissible offense,” Celli said on Thursday. She also emphasized that children’s “safety – emotional or physical – was never compromised.”Celli said that the full video was never shown in class, but that students were able to find the film online.Middle school parent Kimberley Fillenworth prompted the discussion when she asked for an update about Kane during the meeting’s public comment. Fillenworth said that, as a parent, she had concerns for her daughter’s participation in the class but felt “left out.” She said that a lack of information about the incident made the situation worse, and said she found this troubling after the district had communicated with parents when the high school had a similar incident with a teacher being suspended.Former High School Adjustment Counselor Thomas Healey was charged with breaking and entering after he was apprehended at a colleague’s home. He told police he was there to steal prescription medication.”When it happened, there was no communication from the school,” Fillenworth said. “That was disappointing. In the incident at the high school, there was communication first thing. This blossomed into a he-said, she-said issue.”Fillenworth said that many parents were also concerned that Kane may have been taking videos of the class.”It’s horrible to think about but it’s reality,” she said.Celli said she appreciated Fillenworth’s questions – noting that many other community members had expressed concern – but explained that the district could not discuss the issue because nothing had “come to fruition” in May or as of Wednesday night. In comparison, Healey had submitted his resignation, she said. She acknowledged, however, that perhaps parents should have been included on the information that was issued to the media.She also assured parents that Kane would be supervised similarly to all teachers and that the course curriculum would be reviewed. She also said that she will investigate Fillenworth’s request that parents be allowed to sit in on classes.Neither Kane nor a representative from the teacher’s union returned requests for comment.