San Jose authorities have arrested a special education worker on felony charges related to child exploitation materials. Kirk McFarland, who was employed at Chandler Tripp School, was taken into custody on Monday by Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies. He was arraigned in court on Wednesday, where a judge granted him supervised release.

According to the incident report, McFarland was apprehended at Chandler Tripp School, where he was responsible for supervising a non-verbal special needs student. He had been working at the school for about a month after previously serving at Del Mar High School in San Jose. McFarland, who has worked in special education for approximately two decades, is now required to stay at least 300 yards away from Chandler Tripp School and is prohibited from visiting locations where minors congregate.

The investigation began when McFarland asked a colleague to assist him with printing a document. While accessing his flash drive, the colleague reportedly discovered an image depicting partially unclothed children. The incident was immediately reported to the Assistant Director of Chandler Tripp School, who reviewed the flash drive and found additional images of young children in explicit settings. The Assistant Director confirmed that none of the children appeared to be affiliated with the school. Authorities also noted that a non-explicit image of the special needs student McFarland supervised was found on the drive.

Sheriff’s deputies reviewed some of the images and reported that they depicted young boys and girls, approximately 7 to 10 years old, some of whom were blindfolded and restrained. During questioning, McFarland allegedly admitted to downloading and viewing explicit material for the past three to five years. According to deputies, he stated that viewing such content helped him manage stress and anger. Investigators reported that he had stored hundreds of images on an SD card, which he kept in a blue box under his bed, describing his collection as “obsessive.” A search of McFarland’s home led to the seizure of electronic devices, a handgun found beside his bed that was not registered to him, and a prescription bottle containing six rounds of .38 special ammunition.

McFarland was employed by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) and has since been placed on administrative leave. In a statement to families on March 5, SCCOE Interim County Superintendent Charles Hinman praised staff for their vigilance in reporting the incident, which led to a swift law enforcement response. He also stated that, based on discussions with the sheriff’s office, there is currently no evidence indicating that students were directly involved or harmed. McFarland is scheduled to appear in court again on June 3 as the investigation continues. — This version maintains a professional and factual tone while ensuring clarity and conciseness for a news outlet. Let me know if you need any adjustments!