According to NJ News, a teacher at Infinity Institute has been charged with sexually assaulting a student.
Apparao Sunkara, 67-years-old, was a middle school science teacher. He faces charges for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old student. The victim, now 12-years-old, said the assaults occurred in 2019 at the school. More details regarding the assault have not been released.
Infinity Institute has students from grade six to twelve and is a public school in Jersey City. Sunkara has been placed on paid suspension, reported NJ News.
Sunkara was charged with second-degree sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held in Nassau County following his arrest.
Attorney Guy D'Andrea, an experienced sexual assault lawyer, has represented numerous victims of sexual assault in civil lawsuits. Below, Brian provides his thoughts on the legal rights of victims sexually assaulted by a teacher.
"Schools have a legal obligation to protect students. To ensure enrolled students' safety, schools must do their best to prevent predators from working in their schools and implement security measures to ensure they limit the chances of misconduct. Sadly, across the country, there have been numerous cases of teacher sexual assault. To prevent sexual abuse from occurring, schools should implement security measures, such as background checks, cameras, reporting systems, and more."
"Victims and their families should acquire an experienced sexual assault attorney's services to learn about their legal options. Schools must do their best to prevent abuse from occurring; if they do not, they may be considered liable. Many sexual abuse cases occur due to negligence on behalf of a third party, such as an employer. An example of negligence is if misconduct was reported but not adequately investigated. In cases of negligence, victims and their families should know they may have grounds for a civil lawsuit and receive compensation for damages."