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According to the New York Post, a teacher was arrested on sexual assault charges while employed at KIPP Washington Heights Middle School located at 21 Jumel Pl, New York, NY 10032.
On December 22, 2021, 35-year-old Cesar Sanchez was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting a seventh-grade student at the charter school. Allegedly the grooming began as early as 2016 when Sanchez would make "sexually suggestive and lewd comments" to the girl that was then a fourth-grader. The sexual advances progressed to include touching her breasts and rubbing his groin along her back. However, from September 2019 until classes went virtual in March 2020, Sanchez was accused of sexually assaulting the girl multiple times.
Sanchez, a science teacher and baseball coach, won a "Blackboard Award" in 2018 was fired amid the allegations. He is married to another KIPP principal from a different location, according to DailyMail.com. He has been charged with counts of sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
On February 7, 2022, the school's principal, Danny Swersky, was fired. Swersky has been accused of failing to follow the procedures mandated by the school after two teachers had been accused of sexual assault. Superintendent Jim Manly relayed to the school's parents that the charter school's principal failed to meet the school's expectations with how he handled the incident.
This is not the first time the two have been disciplined by the school. According to DailyMail.com, Swersky and Sanchez were suspended in 2019. Apparently, Sanchez displayed "poor professional judgment" during a school trip, and Swersky failed to report the incident to school officials. A school spokesperson reported that the incident was not related to sexual misconduct.
Read here to learn more about another KIPP Academy teacher arrested for sexually assaulting students:
Attorney contributor Laurence Banville is an experienced sexual abuse attorney that represents victims sexually abused by teachers. In light of the mounting reports of school sexual abuse, Laurence highlighted some of the legal options available to parents, including when they can sue the school for failing to protect their child.
"Teachers and school employees who sexually abuse their students often cause a lifetime of harm. When grooming goes on for a prolonged period, the damages continue to grow. Whether public, private, or a charter school, each school has made a moral and legal commitment to ensuring the safety of the children on their campus. When a school or school official fails to uphold their commitment, the school can be deemed negligent and held liable for this abuse."
"A negligent school or school official may miss red flags that could have prevented the abuse. However, some officials may even be aware of the misconduct but ignore it without informing officials. This is actually a breach of their mandatory reporting duties if school officials fail to alert law enforcement or Child Protective Services. If the victim's attorney can prove a school's negligent disregard for the well-being of their child, they may opt to file a lawsuit against the school. Victims of school sexual abuse can learn more about their option to file a lawsuit by consulting with an experienced sexual abuse attorney."
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