NJ teacher charged days after being publicly accused of inappropriately touching teen girl
A New Jersey middle school teacher has been charged days after she was publicly accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old female student — sparking outrage and bomb threats at the school.
Reached by phone Saturday, suspended Marlboro Memorial Middle School teacher Jenna Sciabica, 38, refused to discuss her charge with The Post.
She is charged with one count of harassment.
In a statement, her attorney, Mitchell Ansell, called the allegations “outrageous and defamatory,” and said Sciabica vigorously denies any wrongdoing.
The alleged victim’s mother addressed the Marlboro Board of Education during its Tuesday meeting, according to video seen by The Post, and 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.
The alleged incident occurred March 13, and the girl’s mother claims the crime was witnessed by another staffer, and caught by the school’s security cameras.
The mother blasted the board, saying her daughter had to return to her alleged assailant’s classroom after the incident, where “she had more torment.”
She also chided the board for not firing Sciabica, whose charge follows a month-long investigation by local police.
According to LinkedIn, Sciabica has worked in the district since 2008.
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’s statement contends “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.”
Sciabica plans to plead not guilty to the charge, he added.
“There was absolutely nothing illegal, improper or immoral about the interaction between Jenna and this student on March 13, 2024,” the statement claims. “Sadly, as a result of these false and baseless accusations, Jenna and her family have been the victim of bomb and death threats.”
Ansell expects Sciabica will be fully exonerated at trial.
On Thursday, someone called the school and said there was a bomb at the middle school. A search of the building turned up nothing. Another bomb threat was phoned in on Friday.
School officials could not be reached for comment Saturday.
