Education A National Roundup

Fla. Teacher Alleged to Have Offered Lesson on Destructive Device

By Sean Cavanagh — February 23, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A chemistry teacher in Florida was arrested last week after allegedly showing students how to make explosive devices.

David Pieski, 42, a chemistry teacher at Freedom High School outside Orlando, was charged with manufacturing a destructive device and culpable negligence, according to an arrest warrant issued by the Orange County sheriff’s office.

The arrest stems from an investigation into chemical explosions of homemade devices, including at a golf course and in a subdivision. Investigators said they learned that the devices had been constructed by students, who said they learned to make them in Mr. Pieski’s class.

The teacher was arrested and released from custody on Feb. 15. He has been relieved of his teaching duties with pay pending the outcome of a school district investigation, said Lin Wright, a spokesman for the 174,000-student Orange County school district.

“He’s a bright, talented teacher,” Mr. Wright. “We have to wait to see how this is resolved.”

Mr. Pieski could not be reached for comment.

A version of this article appeared in the February 23, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Ed-Tech Policy Webinar Artificial Intelligence in Practice: Building a Roadmap for AI Use in Schools
AI in education: game-changer or classroom chaos? Join our webinar & learn how to navigate this evolving tech responsibly.
Education Webinar Developing and Executing Impactful Research Campaigns to Fuel Your Ed Marketing Strategy 
Develop impactful research campaigns to fuel your marketing. Join the EdWeek Research Center for a webinar with actionable take-aways for companies who sell to K-12 districts.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 13, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 7, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: January 31, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read