Andrew Goldstein - From Kindergarten To Camp To Jail

With help from a regular reader:

Pinellas County sheriff's officials have charged a kindergarten teacher and coach at Berkeley Preparatory School on a charge of possession of child pornography, sheriff's officials said Thursday.

Detectives began an investigation into Andrew Brian Goldstein, 29, of Oldsmar was arrested after someone complained that he had inappropriate Internet communications with teenage girls, sheriff's officials said.

Detectives seized computer files depicting child pornography, authorities said.

It would appear as though Andrew Brian Goldstein was involved in a range of activites which allowed him to work with many children. He is listed as a Camp Director at this Jewish children's camp in Florida. The text also identifies him as an Assistant Director.

Andrew Goldstein, assistant camp director, is a Kindergarten teacher at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa.

The photo at top appears to picture Goldstein and is entitled Grill Master. The second photo was apparently taken during a singing performance, it's entitled We Feel Pretty.

One section of the camp's website features pictures of hundreds of children who apparently have attended the camp. Goldstein also appears to be the webmaster for the site and his email address is scattered throughout the website as a chief contact, particularly for the website.

The camp's philosophy appears below.

The Philosophy of our camp is a very special one. We believe that a summer camp experience can have many positive and lasting benefits for your child. Through making new friends, participating in an array of activities, learning new skills, being in the outdoors and experiencing Judaism, camp becomes a place where the campers have fun, grow, and feel good about who they are as individuals.

Comments

[FloridaPatty]

Wonder if Andrew "felt good about who he is"? I guess he just wanted to share that good feeling (perv)!

[clint carter]

And he looks like Such a nice guy. What's in those hot dogs?

[Steel]

There HAS to be something in the water in Pinellas County.

HAS to be.

[Saigon]

There HAS to be something in the water in Pinellas County.

HAS to be.

Posted by: Steel | Friday, March 10, 2006 at 01:30 AM

Pinellas Park and Largo being the worst. Long live mullet haircuts and trailer parks!!!

[Rayne]

I dont understand it, expecially since I know him and have known him for a very long time. Nothing like this ever seem to be happening. I'm having troubles believing that he would do this. It just doesn't seem right.

[Bigfish]

That guy's a "strange looking bird."

BF

[Anouman]

That guy's a "strange looking bird."

BF

Posted by: Bigfish | Saturday, March 11, 2006 at 07:08 PM

Don't let looks deceive you. Ted Bundy was a good looking guy and John Wayne Gacy was your regular all-American conservative who even helped out at fundraisers for the party and dressed up as a clown to entertain kids. We all know how they turned out in the end........

[ds]

I can only comment on my experience with Mr. Goldstein who was the DJ at my daughter's birthday party: He was wonderful, professional and very appropriate. I was very shocked to learn of the allegations. I sincerely hope there has been some kind of mistake. If not, then I pray he gets some help.

[sammy]

okay see i have known andrew since i was born.i am 13...all u people that are rude and say he is a per is cause u heard one thing..how do u know this wasnt a mistake huh?yeah okay well he djed at my b at mitzvah he took me to concert he was my best friend.he was n ever like this and he has never said anything appropriate to any one i know that knows him...im sorry but i am upset that people that dont know him are such jerks.

[Andrew]

If you don't know me, you don't have a right to judge me. Thank you Sammy. If any of you are dealing with depression... please, get help. I didn't until it was too late. A.G.

[Chris B.]

Andrew, I was visiting my brother this past weekend and heard about what happened to you. If we can help in any way, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are here for you and your family. Chris B.

[lexingtu]

He's right--no one has a right to judge him.
What I know of you Andrew, I love.
Sammy--don't let the jerks bother you. You know you're right.

[CA]

None of us knew you, apparently.

[Kris]

Andrew,
You grew up acoss the street from me, and I'm sorry to hear of these allegations. I am glad that you are recieving help for the troubles that you are going through. I'll pray for you and your family, I can't imagine the pain all of you are going through. As for everyone else, it's very easy to sit back and be judgmental when someones elses life is laid out for all to see. But the fact of the matter is, we are not perfect, we are all sinners, and we are all susceptible to the same temptations! Kal

[Aliza]

Ok, well ive only known Andrew since the summer of me going into 6th grade and ill be gonig into 8th next year and well he was such an awesome person, he never sed anything rude or innapproiate to me or any1 that im friends w/. but i trusted him and then he did this, like i dont know if he was looking at the child pornography or if it was just a misunderstanding but all i know is that i will never trust him again, im so sorry andrew but i cant...ive been hurt so many times from ppl nad this was just OVER the top. but i still am having truble believeing that he was talking inapproiate w/ teenage girls b/c if he did hten i wud think it wud be one of his old campers (in tsofim) but i dont know what to believe these days...

[becca]

aliza, i truly agree. i have known andrew since i was bornand gone to that camp since i was 2. he has never done anything to me or to my friends that i know of. he was like an older cousin that i could always talk to no matter what. now i dont even no what to say. im confused and i feel like someone came and slaped me as hard as they could in my face. i dont know if all of this is true but i hope he gets the help he needs. i will miss you andrew and all you did for the camp and always made it the best camp ever. camp will never be the same.

by the way-when he was cooking the hot dogs he was being funny. that just makes him look terrible. dont call him a perv...we dont know anything yet

[Jill]

First of all, let me just say that I can't believe you still have access to a computer, Andrew. As a parent of a Kindergartner that was taught by Andrew I am feeling deeply hurt, concerned and betrayed. Why don't all of you think of the poor children that were in his hands every single day. Do you think they would have arrested him in the middle of the night if they didn't have significant evidence? I believe it was the Tampa Tribune that reported that he had pre-pubescent pornography either on his computer or on cd's!! Do you know what age group we are talking here???? That is inexcusable!!

What about the little people who adored him and now had him ripped away wondering where their beloved teacher went?? What about the parents who are sitting worrying every single night wondering if he did anything inappropriate with their child?? Andrew, at the very least, you should be writing a letter of apology to the parents of the children that were sent to you in trust each and every day. I am disgusted and I will be following your case closely.

[vsjajd]

Thanks to the previous writer who so elegantly wrote what most of us kindergarten parents are feeling. I understand he was loved, adored and admired and we were all once amongst those admirers. But these charges did not come out of left field...there was possession of child pornography that was enough for all of us to be sick and disgusted. Not to mention, in complete disbelief that we sent our children to school and entrusted this person with their education and safety. Andrew, I hope that you get the help that you need but forgive me if I am lacking empathy. You should have taken yourself away from our innocent children when you knew you were ill.

[JAS]

Andrew, no one has a right to judge you, but be careful where you post man, that could get you in more trouble. Please get help and get better. I always looked up to you dude, you're one of the only reasons i made it through middle school. Just please take care of yourself.

<--JAS--++=

[Anonymous]

She can't believe you did this to her.
She won't ever forget it. But she won't necessarily remember you.
Trust is limited.

[ksm]

ya ive know mr goldstein since i was born and i was in the very first kindergarten class he taught and i went to the jcc and i went 2 his temple and he was my 6th grade teacher i also went on a big trip with him through my school, berkeley, and he is awesome, nice, and everyone loved him, he was one of the best teachers i have ever had and ya im not sure with all the stuff goin on in his life that he is thinking about me and my really close friends that all cared about him so much, he was the last person i would ever expect 2 be arrested and dnt judge him caus most of u dnt no him the day he was arrested i was crying all day it was one of the worst days of my life

[Lkoser]

sorry ksm, I can see where you are coming from I know a lot of people that were affected by this. A lot of people can call him names and a lot of people don't understand why someone would be sad about him being arrested or why they would cry. It is because they did not know him before this happened and they only know him as a bad person. The people that are sad are the ones that knew him before and what I want others to understand is that these people are sad because they remember him as a cool, nice person. These people do not think of it as a "bad" person going to jail they think of it as losing a friend. So do not think that these people are wrong by being sad he is arrested, you just do not understand then. I did not know Andrew but I know a lot of people who did, and were in his class. Some have turned their back on him but others stick up for him, and that's good, keep it up.

[old friend]

howdy

[old friend]

howdy

[Anonymous]

To Kris who posted on April 7, 2006: I understand that you grew up across the street from Andrew and that you knew him very well. I dated Andrew back in 1998 until 2000 and I never would have guessed that he would possess child pornography. However, I must disagree with a very ridiculous statement that you made, in which you said, "But the fact of the matter is... we are all susceptible to the same temptations! Kal" While it is true that he without sin cast the first stone, it is a stupid remark to state that we are all susceptible to the same temptations. Are you saying then that you get aroused by children under the age of 11? I don't get aroused by little kids, these people who have posted don't, and I hope you don't, unless you supplied him with the CD of the pictures of naked PRE-pubescent girls (that's children under the age of 11) performing sexual acts. No, we are not all susceptible to the same temptations. We are susceptible to adult temptations. There is a clear difference.

As for Aliza, Samme, Becca and the other young writers: Andrew is not a high profile individual. The cops have nothing to gain by arresting a man for no reason. Hence, the fact that cops DID arrest him for something that is in the books as being against the law, it is safe to assume that Andrew DID in fact possess child pornography. Why would cops arrest a regular person like Andrew? They have nothing to gain by lying about him. Do people have a right to judge? Sure! Why not? We're all entitled to our opinions. I dated him, I almost married him. So I think it is safe to say that I know him very well. And yes this was a shock to me. But I believe he had what the police said he had. And FYI-he did admit to having sex with a 16 year-old...and he is 29...Just because he never touched you doesn't mean he doesn't touch at all.