Pennsylvania teacher Matthew Gagat's charges weren't reported to school district, superintendent says
HAVERTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — How did a Delaware County teacher continue to teach for months after he was arrested — twice — for allegedly exposing himself in public? According to officials in the Haverford Township School District, the Pennsylvania Department of Education might be to blame.
The district says it just learned this week of multiple criminal cases against 47-year-old Matthew Gagat, who has been suspended from his job as a fifth-grade teacher at Lynnewood Elementary.
Gagat was charged in Horsham, Montgomery County, in March 2024 for allegedly exposing himself in public, and was charged again in June 2024 after allegedly exposing himself in a public park in Sellersville, Bucks County.
The school district says there was a communication breakdown that left school leaders unaware of the charges. In a letter to families, the district said it only found out about both incidents from a reporter on Monday.
"The system set up by the state appears to have failed in providing us with the critical information we needed," Superintendent Maureen Reusche wrote in a letter to families. "Our HR office is presently manually reviewing each certificated employee's status to ensure that there is no other situation like this in our district."
Multiple sources told CBS News Philadelphia investigators were unaware Gagat was a teacher. According to sources, that means a notification about Gagat's arrest would never have reached Pennsylvania's Department of Education.
Under the Pennsylvania School Code, about 25 different crimes require public school employees to notify their employer within 72 hours if they are convicted or charged.
But Gagat never notified the district about those charges, Reusche's letter claims.
"I can assure you, that if the school district had been aware of or notified of these events, we would have immediately removed the teacher from the classroom," Reusche added, saying the lack of quick notification was "extremely alarming" and "simply unacceptable."
Horsham Township police — the agency that first arrested Gagat in March — said their report did not include anything about his employment.
CBS News Philadelphia has learned exclusively that Gagat was the subject of a police investigation a couple of years ago after a complaint was made to Children and Youth, according to Haverford Township police. The investigation was closed after police said they determined no crime had been committed.
Reusche declined an interview request. The district is now working with the state to determine exactly what went wrong and is offering counseling to students and families.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education said in a statement, "PDE takes educator arrests and discipline very seriously and makes every effort to notify schools about such activities of educators. The department encourages school districts to work closely with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of their students."
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to the attorney for Gagat and is waiting to hear back.