ASTON, Pa. – Some parents in the Penn Delco School District are not only upset that a middle school guidance counselor was accused of child sexual abuse material, but some are also upset with how the district handled the entire situation.

Reacting to the news of 46-year-old Kevin Siegal’s arrest following his arrest, one parent said: “How many other people are like this? I haven’t caught your kids being around you every day yet. This is scary.” He was charged with 17 counts of child sexual abuse material.

Siegal, who had been a guidance counselor at Northley Middle School for two decades, was removed from the school on Oct. 24 after investigators said they found incriminating images at his home, seen in a video posted on the Penn Delco School District’s YouTube page earlier this year. computer.

He was placed on administrative leave and no longer had contact with students.

“There is no evidence of these charges that any children in the area were harmed in any way. This is a case involving an individual who went on the Internet, downloaded child pornography from the Internet and possessed it, and that is a crime both at the federal and state levels.” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

Parents said they were told Friday when the accusations against Siegal came to light, and many told us they wished there had been more transparency in October when Siegal was first placed on leave by the school and said he was under some kind of investigation.

“They should have sent something the day it happened, and I’m sure they knew beforehand, but they just let it go,” parent Joe McCall said.

“They said they wanted to be transparent about it, but I feel like they tried to keep it kind of quiet until recently,” another parent added.

District attorney Mike Puppio says in part: “Penn-Delco School District and Law Enforcement had to balance the potential danger Siegel posed to the community with the potential harm to the pending investigation if it were made public. Siegel’s access to District students was removed while the investigation was completed.”

The District Attorney commented, “I think they took every appropriate step, but there will always be some delay in the investigation.”

Prosecutor Stollsteimer would like to emphasize that if anyone believes their child has had inappropriate contact with Kevin Siegal over the years, please contact his office immediately.

Siegal’s next hearing is scheduled for December 5. Bail was set at $100,000 cash.