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April 22, 2005
Fifth School Sex Scandal In A Month
The New York City's schools chancellor is telling principals it must stop now - after the fifth teacher in a month was accused of having sexual contact with a student.
Education reporter Art McFarland joins us live from Ocean Hill, Brooklyn with the story.
It's enough to inspire the question: What is going on in our schools? In this case a middle school math teacher is accused of inappropriate contact with a student. It is based on an incident that happened last Tuesday.
At dismissal today we found the accused teacher has her supporters at I.S. 55.
Student: "They should drop the charges, she's a cool teacher."
Twenty-seven year-old Joanna Hernandez was allegedly discovered by another teacher kissing a 15 year-old boy in an empty classroom. The accused married mother of three lives in a housing complex in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, where neighbors find the charges against her hard to believe.
Ann Valeriano, Neighbor: "I really feel very sorry for her because I think the whole family is really a very nice family."
A statement came today from teacher's union president Randi Weingarten.
UFT President Randi Weingarten: "Ms. Hernandez has an excellent reputation as a teacher and she vehemently denies these charges. If, after due process, the charges are proven to be true, she should not be in a classroom."
But Ms. Hernandez is the third educator to face a student-related sex scandal within the past two weeks. At the High School For Health Professions and Human Services, a teacher and a guidance counselor were charged in separate alleged affairs with students.
In his weekly email to principals Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, while condemning those charged, also wrote:
"Please make clear to all employees that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated and that it is their duty to report any signs of inappropriate behavior between staff members and students immediately."
The mayor today was asked about the scandals.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg: "It is not acceptable behavior to have our teachers having personal sexual relations with students that we entrust them with - period."
The Department of Education says it intends to fire anyone found to have committed the acts they're accused of. As for Ms. Hernandez, she also faces criminal charges of sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
Posted by Nealus at April 22, 2005 05:28 PM
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