Kc Catholic School Leader Fired over Suspicious Photos on Computer

By Michelle Pekarsky, Charly Arnolt and Macradee Aegerter
Fox 4
November 7, 2013

http://fox4kc.com/2013/11/07/kc-catholic-school-leader-fired-over-suspicious-photos-on-computer/

[with video]

A letter sent home to parents of Archbishop O’Hara High School students on Wednesday indicated a school staff member has been fired after a suspicious photographic file was found on his computer. It has been described as suspicious, disturbing and it involves a youth.

Brother Richard Geimer was first placed on administrative leave on Monday and left the property, located at 9001 James A. Reed Road. John O’Connor, O’Hara High School principal said that at that time, he called to notify police.

Jack Smith, the Director of Communications with the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph said that a senior student alerted school administrators to the file. She discovered it after receiving permission to use Brother Geimer’s computer during school hours to print a document.

Based on information provided to them by police, O’Connor said he, Bishop Robert Finn and Superintendent Dan Peters, determined there was sufficient cause to permanently terminate Brother Geimer. A determination to fire him was made before an FBI cyber-crimes task force had completed its investigation because O’Connor found the pictures inappropriate enough to warrant termination.

Brother Geimer had been with O’Hara for 28 years and served in many different capacities but was most recently a high school math teacher.

In the letter to parents, O’Connor said, “There is no reason to believe the suspicious file involved O’Hara students.”

“This is a great sorrow to me as I know it is to you,” the letter said.

The letter also encourages anyone with information regarding ‘inappropriate behavior’ by Brother Geimer or any person to contact the Missouri Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-392-3738, and also contact the police.