A teacher filmed an inappropriate video of a third grade student as the girl cleaned cupboards, according to Minnesota police.
Jason Bassett’s ex-wife reported the incident to police when the video of the student’s underwear was accidentally sent to his daughters, Blaine police said in a probable cause statement filed June 4.
Bassett, a 56-year-old teacher at Jefferson Elementary, was charged with interference with privacy by violating paragraph against a minor, a misdemeanor, according to a criminal complaint.
Bassett ‘Encouraged the Girl to Reach Higher’ Then Filmed Under Her Dress
The video reported June 2 showed the teacher’s face, then turned to show him walking toward a girl approximately 8 to 10 years old, the probable cause statement said. The girl was washing cupboards when Bassett “encouraged her to reach higher,” police said.
When she did so, he moved the camera so he could film under her dress, according to the probable cause. The video then showed Bassett quickly moving away before the recording stopped, police said.
Bassett Placed on Administrative Leave Pending Investigation
Bassett has worked for the Anoka-Hennepin School District for 28 years and is currently an elementary art teacher, a spokesperson for the district said. He was placed on administrative leave through the end of the school year pending results of the investigation, the spokesperson said.
“The school district took immediate action to notify staff and families in the school community regarding his status and is working cooperatively with law enforcement to support their investigation,” the district said in a statement.
He was arrested and told Blaine police in an interview that “he recorded the video for its sexual nature,” police said. If convicted, Bassett faces up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine, according to the complaint. Blaine is about a 15-mile drive north from Minneapolis.
