A teacher in New Jersey was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly taping a 9-year-old student to his desk for nearly an hour. Todd Lewis, 57, was charged with one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and was released pending trial with special conditions that he not have contact with any children.
The incident allegedly occurred in October when Lewis placed masking tape around the back of the boy’s neck and secured it to the student’s desk for roughly 40 to 50 minutes. A teacher’s aide, Sallyann Scala, 67, was also in the classroom but failed to intervene, according to the victim.
Scala was charged with fourth-degree abuse and neglect of children and was served with a summons complaint. If convicted, Lewis could face five to 10 years in prison, while Scala could face up to 18 months.
Both Lewis and Scala were placed on leave and are prohibited from campus. The school district’s superintendent said that the district is working closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of students.
