Questions grow after second Langley High School employee arrested for sex crimes

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - An instructional assistant with Fairfax County Public Schools appeared in court Tuesday, accused of masturbating in a classroom.

On Friday, Oct. 11, David Scalea was in a classroom at Langley High School when he reportedly began inappropriately touching himself behind a desk.

A student saw him and reported it to school administration and the school resource officer was notified. 

Scalea was arrested and charged with obscene sexual display and contributing to the delinquency of a minor — both misdemeanors. FCPS has suspended Scalea without pay. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fairfax County instructional assistant arrested for masturbating during class, police say

This is now the second Langley High School staff member arrested in the past few months. 

Back in August, a football coach and teacher was arrested on five counts of sexual solicitation with a minor. 

Police say David Clay Murray, 48, began communicating through a cell phone messaging app with a Frederick County detective who was posing as a 15-year-old girl. Murray allegedly continued to solicit "numerous sex acts." 

Murray’s attorney said his client thought it was an adult who said they were a teenage girl and that it was "role-playing." 

David Clay Murray (Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office)

FOX 5 spoke with a handful of parents about the recent incidents during school pickup and got varying perspectives.

Some stressed how the incidents involving the two teachers were not related, while others questioned whether the background checks are stringent enough. Some felt the school handled it appropriately but some wanted more information.

One parent said she knows this is a tough situation for the school but at the same time, is questioning the district’s background check policies. 

"I can imagine it’s got to be hard for Langley to be handling this. We love Langley so much, we love the school, but we’ve got to make sure our kids are protected and there’s got to be something that should be addressed," mom Lisa Durant said. 

Fairfax County Schools tells FOX 5 they do several background checks on new employees and last year, they announced new measures for ongoing checks of all employees.

Scalea has been an instructional assistant with Fairfax County Public Schools since 2020. FOX 5 has learned the district did a federal and state background check on him last November.

The letter sent home from the principal says "safety and security is paramount."