Dear Belmont Public Schools Community,

I write to follow up on the recent news regarding the arrest and arraignment of BMS teacher, Leon Dyer. This news has left many members of our community shaken and with important questions. I want to share what we currently know.

Here is what we know from the District Attorney's Office and State Police at this time:

• Mr. Dyer has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. Mr. Dyer is accused of downloading images containing child pornography; investigators have found no evidence that he created content. To our knowledge, none of the images involved BPS students or members of the Belmont community.

• Mr. Dyer has posted bail following the arraignment. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from being on any school property, including buildings and fields. As I noted in my previous message, access to school accounts has been revoked.

• Following the arraignment process, law enforcement has found no evidence that Belmont Public

  Schools students were involved in the alleged activity. Should any such evidence emerge, they

  will notify Belmont Police immediately. We have also asked that the State and Local Police

  continue to share relevant information with the District.

• Mr. Dyer is due back in Court on September 17, 2026.

I have also read news reports indicating that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted the Massachusetts State Police about certain files connected to Mr. Dyer in January 2026. We do not have any independent information on that report; however, I want to be clear that the Belmont Public Schools did not have any knowledge about those reports or concerns with Mr. Dyer until I was alerted of his arrest this past weekend.

To reiterate, the safety and well-being of our students will always remain our highest priority. Although we do not yet have a complete understanding of this matter, we will continue to share what information we have when we can.

For additional context, Mr. Dyer has worked as a middle school teacher in the District since 2007. Over the years, Mr. Dyer has also advised and participated in a number of student clubs and extracurricular activities. Throughout his employment with Belmont Public Schools, the district never received any reports or complaints alleging illegal conduct or behavior inconsistent with the expectations of his role. Nor did we have any other reason to suspect Mr. Dyer of being involved with child pornography or otherwise being a danger to children. Belmont Police have similarly confirmed that they never received any reports of wrongdoing involving Mr. Dyer. As I previously noted, the District performed regular Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) background checks on Mr. Dyer, as it does with all teachers. All of Mr. Dyer’s CORI reports were clean.

I recognize the impact this situation is having on our community. Families entrust us with the care, safety, and education of their children every day, and that confidence is foundational to everything we do. I am committed to upholding that trust through open communication, transparency, and accountability. Our teachers, support staff, and administrators will continue to care for, support, and educate every student with the integrity, compassion, and professionalism they deserve. We will move forward together, continuing to demonstrate the values that define Belmont Public Schools, and we welcome input from the Community as we do so.

We invite you to a hybrid community forum on Monday, August 3, at 4:00 p.m. at the Selectboard Conference Room in Town Hall. A Zoom link will be available for those who wish to attend remotely. District leadership and Police representatives will be present for questions and to share any additional information available at that time.

In addition to the State Police, you can direct inquiries or information specific to the case or investigation to the Middlesex Children’s Advocacy Center (781-897-8400). For other questions, please reach out to the Belmont Police and/or me directly.

Respectfully,

Jill Geiser, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools