A New York City teacher has been charged with groping and sexting students.
Shannon Hall, 31, a teacher at the Sciences High School in Queens, has been charged with sexual abuse, forcible touching, aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child for incidents involving two different students.
“I want to be with you,” Hall texted a 14-year-old student on May 24, according to police and court papers, obtained by the New York Daily News.
The student confronted the teacher at school the next day, asking what he meant by the text. He claimed that he had been drunk at the time when he sent it.
The advances did not stop, however.
The Daily News reports, “over the next week, Hall sent ‘multiple text messages’ expressing his desire to kiss, grope and have sex with the student, prosecutors said. He also said he wanted to ‘walk on the beach with her’ and ‘smoke with her,’ court papers claim.” He added that, “If she showed anyone the messages she would be dead.”
The teacher also allegedly expressed jealousy for the girl’s boyfriend.
On May 31, Hall apologized for the messages and claimed that he was drunk, again.
The student informed the school, who launched an investigation. During that time, allegations surfaced that he had groped another student’s breasts.
Hall has been released without bail.
Jenna Lyle, a spokeswoman for the city Department of Education, told the paper that Hall has been “reassigned away from the school and students pending the outcome of the arrest.”
“If convicted , we will pursue his termination,” Lyle said. “This behavior is completely unacceptable and will be fully investigated.”
