Providence middle school teacher arrested, accused of inappropriately touching students
PROVIDENCE -- A Providence middle school teacher was charged Thursday with two counts of second-degree child molestation.
Joseph Teno, of Esek Hopkins Middle School, is accused of inappropriately touching two students according to Providence Police Detective Major David Lapain.
Teno appeared in District Court, Providence, before Judge Melissa DuBose for an arraignment.
No plea was entered, according to an online court record, which says that Teno was released on personal recognizance.
A news release from the Providence Public Schools Department acknowledged the case, saying that a teacher has been accused of improper conduct, but did not identify the teacher by name.
The school's principal learned about the allegations involving two students in December and immediately notified police, says the news release.
The teacher was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal school district investigation and criminal proceedings, the release says.
"We take these allegations and the safety of our students extremely serious," says the release, "and took swift action to ensure the person in question had no further contact with students."
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Esek Hopkins Middle School teacher charged with child molestation
