Jenna Sciabica, Marlboro, NJ teacher charged with offensively touching 13 year old teen girl in school hallway as female educator is suspended along with outrage at the school and bomb threats.
A special educations language arts teacher at a New Jersey school has strenuously denied accusations of inappropriately touching a 13 year old teen girl last month, with the allegations since sparking outrage and even back to back bomb threats.
Jenna Sciabica, 38, was suspended from Marlboro Memorial Middle School following an alleged March 13 episode of her ‘inappropriately’ interacting with a female teen student in a school hallway.
Come Friday the educator was charged with harassment following the petty disorderly persons offence, Asbury Park Press reported.
Sciabica has been the subject of a wide range of incendiary allegations raised by the alleged victim’s mother during a Tuesday, Marlboro Board of Education meeting.
The parent during the meeting dubbed Sciabica a ‘predator‘ who ‘sexually abused’ her daughter inside the school.
The board, the woman alleged, ‘failed to prevent the atrocity that happened down that hallway’ to her daughter according to the nypost.
The mother condemned the board, saying her daughter had to return to her alleged assailant’s classroom after the incident, where ‘she had more torment.’
She also criticized the board for not firing Sciabica, whose charge follows a month-long investigation by local police, News12 reported.
Sciabica’s attorney says, since then, she and her family have received bomb and death threats ‘as a result of these false and baseless accusations.’
Sciabica has indicated she now intends to file a defamation lawsuit over those allegations, according to her attorney, Mitchell Ansell.
The lawyer told APP that Sciabica plans to plead not guilty to the harassment charge.
‘We are confident that when a judge hears all the facts in this case, Jenna will be completely exonerated and her good name and reputation will be restored,’ Ansell said.
Ansell said his client ‘has been dedicated to the education of students for over 15 years’ and ‘has never had any prior allegations and/or accusations filed against her and has an exemplary record.’
The lawyer stated ‘Jenna and the student in question have known each other for 3 years,’ and that ‘Jenna has a very close relationship with this student’s family, even going as far as having been invited into their home on numerous occasions.’
‘There was absolutely nothing illegal, improper or immoral about the interaction between Jenna and this student on March 13, 2024,’ the attorney continued. ‘Sadly, as a result of these false and baseless accusations, Jenna and her family have been the victim of bomb and death threats.’
The March 13 incident took place in public view on the grounds of Memorial Middle School, Marlboro Police Capt. Stephen Levy said in a statement.
The incident involved ‘offensive touching over the clothes by the teacher upon the student in a hallway of the school,’ he said, adding it was witnessed by another staff member.
School administrators immediately notified the police and the teacher was placed on leave, he said.
Levy said the monthlong investigation included interviews, a review of footage from school security cameras and written statements. Levy did not say whether the incident was picked up by surveillance cameras.
Leading up to her suspension, Sciabica had been making a salary of $87,160. According to LinkedIn and records on the middle school website, Sciabica has worked in the district since 2008. She is also listed as a dyslexia therapist.
A bomb threat Thursday was called in and directed at the middle school and the board of education building, prompting a district-wide shut down. Police found nothing.
On Friday, a similar threat was made, prompting a two-hour delay.
The child’s mother has since responded with a released statement saying, ‘While we are happy that action is finally being taken we are disappointed at the charge … it seems like they rushed to make it seem like they’re doing something.’
Adding, ‘We are hopeful that they will do the right thing for our family and community.’
If convicted of the charge against her, the teacher faces up to 30 days in jail.
The Marlboro Township School District is home to over 4,500 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
