Preliminary Hearing for Lorbeer Middle School Teacher Set Back to January 31

The preliminary hearing for a Lorbeer Middle School teacher accused of committing lewd acts with a 14-year-old former student will be delayed until January 31, after the suspect's attorney requested a continuance on Wednesday.

Steven Andrews, 41, appeared briefly in the courtroom at Pomona Superior Court, handcuffed and wearing glasses. In the quick hearing, Judge Mike Camacho granted the attorney's request.

Typically, a defendant's attorney will request a continuance to gain more time to gather witnesses and evidence, but Andrews' attorneys have not stated why the continuance was needed.

Andrews, who was known for being a popular teacher at the school, still has significant support from some of his former students and their parents even after his arrest. One of his students showed at the hearing with her mother and grandmother, hoping to attest to his character. They would leave without that opportunity.

"He saw the best in all of his students," said the mother, who did not want to give her name. "He saw things in my child that I didn't see. He encouraged them, he motivated them to be the best person they could. He was probably the most moral person I've ever met."

The three attested that Andrews was simply trying to help the girl, and that the situation had been misunderstood by the police.

"I genuinely think that he was trying to get her back on track," the mother said.

"I feel like, $450,000 bail? They don't have any evidence, the man's been in jail since October, he's been teaching for 20 years…and there's never been an incident," said the grandmother. "Nobody ever had anything bad to say about him."

Despite how short the hearing on Wednesday was, the three said they were still happy to have come to the hearing.

"I'm glad we were able to see him, though we didn't get to talk to him, he might not have known if we were there in support of him or there to condemn him," the mother said, welling up.