A teacher and a teacher’s aide have been arrested after they allegedly taped an elementary school student’s neck to his desk for nearly an hour.
Todd Lewis, the 57-year-old teacher, was charged with one count of second degree endangering the welfare of a child, NJ.com reported. The aide, Sallyann Scala, was in the classroom and failed to intervene, investigators said, and she was charged with fourth degree abuse and neglect of a children.
Lewis was released to home monitoring, while Scala, 67, was given a summons to appear, WNYW said.
Lewis was ordered to have no contact with minors, including the victim, according to NJ.com
The investigation began on October 31 when a 9-year-old student at Lenox Elementary School in Pompton Lakes said that Lewis had put masking tape on the back of his neck and taped his head to a desk a day earlier. The child said he was taped to the desk for 40 to 50 minutes.
The superintendent of the school district said Lewis and Scala were placed on leave and barred from campus.
“We want to assure our parents, students, staff and school community that we are working very closely with law enforcement to guarantee the safety and security of our students,” district Superintendent Paul Amoroso said.
