During opening statements in the trial of a former Severna Park Elementary School teacher accused of child sex abuse, Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s Attorney Sean Fox showed jurors photos of six girls the suspended teacher is accused of sexually abusing.

“This isn’t a single mistake or moment of confusion,” Fox said. Matthew Schlegel’s actions were a “deliberate” and “calculated” abuse, he said.

Schlegel, 45, is accused of inappropriately touching students at school, in and outside of the classroom. He faces charges that include sex abuse of a minor, second-degree assault and third- and fourth-degree sex offenses.

Although Schlegel was indicted by a grand jury on 55 charges, state prosecutors said before opening statements Wednesday that they would not prosecute 22 of those charges due to ChildFirst protocol.

Assistant State’s Attorney Anastasia Prigge said this protocol helps attorneys determine whether a child should be put on the stand to testify. If it would be bad for their mental health, she said, the child should not be put on the stand.

Prigge said this applied to three children in the case and those charges would not be prosecuted.

Jurors heard opening statements in the trial as well as testimony from one of the alleged victims.

Fox said Schlegel, a third-grade math teacher, made his students feel special by spending time with them, giving them prizes and candy and learning about them.

“He was their rock,” Fox said.

The first witness, a now-fourth grader who was allegedly sexually abused by Schlegel, said Schlegel would touch her in her “private area” and up her back for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while she did math work at her desk.

The witness said she talked with her friends about the incidents before her parents found out. She said she never said anything to her teachers about feeling uncomfortable in class and wanted to keep the incidents a secret because she didn’t want to have to deal with talking to her parents about it, “and it becoming a big thing.”

One of Schlegel’s attorneys, Patrick Seidel, questioned the witness’ memory of the incidents, asking specifics about her math class with Schlegel and where in the classroom she was in relation to Schlegel.

Fox called the case an “extraordinary case of betrayal,” arguing Schlegel used the trust he had gained from the students as a “weapon” for sexual abuse.

The 10- and 11-year-old girls who will be testifying in this case, Fox said, had “absolutely nothing to gain” from sharing their stories. He said they have done so because they experienced sexual abuse and want justice.

Peter O’Neill, one of Schlegel’s attorneys, said jurors should be aware of the state using emotions — not facts — to guide its arguments during the trial. He said Schlegel, a “favorite teacher” at the elementary school, has been falsely accused of sexual abuse.

In his opening statement, O’Neill said the case was “tainted” by a bad investigation. He argued there were “numerous” missed opportunities to properly investigate the case, and said the state’s version of what occurred would be riddled with inconsistencies and a “lack of clarity.”

He said the 17-year veteran teacher got into the profession, not for the money, but to make a difference.

“He’s a favorite teacher because he’s a good teacher,” O’Neill said.

Schlegel is currently suspended without pay from Anne Arundel County Public Schools. He is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center without bail.

He is married and has two children.

The trial is scheduled for four weeks.

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