Former Bucks teacher heading to jail for taking upskirt photos of his students

A former Bucks County teacher was sentenced to jail Monday after admitting to taking up-skirt photos of his students and lewd photos of himself in his classroom.

Francis Reppert, 27, was ordered to serve at least year in jail, minus one day, a sentence that ensures he can serve it in the county jail.

Reppert, of Quakertown, pleaded guilty in October to indecent exposure and invasion of privacy for taking the photos during his tenure as a math teacher at Palisades High School in Kintnersville.

His attorney, Matthew Sedacca, declined to comment on the case’s resolution.

» READ MORE: A Philly-area teacher used his iPad to shoot upskirt photos of students, DA says

The teacher’s actions were discovered when one of his male students told a classmate he believed Reppert was taking “inappropriate pictures of her underneath the desk,” according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.

The girl later obtained video that showed Reppert using his iPad to “zoom in on her legs” while she was wearing a skirt in his classroom, the affidavit says.

The victim contacted police in October 2019, triggering the investigation and leading the district to suspend Reppert. Two months later, Reppert, who also coached boys’ and girls’ tennis at the school, was fired.

County detectives investigating the complaint discovered up-skirt photos of female students that Reppert had taken with his iPad, according to the affidavit. On the device, the affidavit says, investigators also found photos of Reppert exposing himself in his classroom and writing on a whiteboard an apparent reference to an online pornographic forum.

» READ MORE: Read the language of House Bill 2453, which aims to increase the penalty for teachers taking upskirt photos.

When confronted in January 2020, Reppert confessed to taking the photos and was arrested, according to the affidavit.

Deputy District Attorney Matthew Lannetti, who prosecuted the case, asked Bucks County Court Judge Raymond F. McHugh to issue a harsher sentence than the probationary term Reppert and his attorney had been seeking.

“When we send our kids to school, we are supposed to know they are safe,” Lannetti said. “Other than being home with their families, there is no safer place to be.”

Reppert’s arrest and prosecution inspired a bipartisan bill in Harrisburg that would increase the statutory penalties for invasion of privacy.

State Reps. Craig T. Staats (R., Bucks) and Wendy Ullman (D., Bucks), introduced the measure in April. Under the proposed bill, teachers taking up-skirt photos of their students would be charged with a third-degree felony for their first offense and a second-degree felony for any subsequent offenses. Currently, the crime is considered a misdemeanor.