Liz Perez, a 31-year-old teacher’s aide in Newark, New Jersey, has been arrested and charged for allegedly sexually assaulting an underage student.
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Perez allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy at her residence during winter break of this past year.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said that Perez, who was working per diem at the Dr. William H. Horton School in Newark, sexually assaulted the teenager — who is a student at the school — in her home.
As a result of her alleged crimes, Perez — who was arrested on Friday, February 8 — has been charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
Perez’s detention hearing is scheduled for Monday, February 11, and a predisposition conference is currently set for Monday, March 4. At this time, the investigation is being led by the Essex prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit.
Liz Perez is just the latest in a string of school officials or teachers that have been charged with alleged sex-related crimes in recent years.
Since the beginning of 2019 alone, a handful of teachers have been arrested on similar charges, including Beulah High School teacher Kelsie Schmidt in North Dakota, Rancocas Valley Regional High School teacher Alexandra Reiner in New Jersey, and 50-year-old Florida substitute teacher Angela Jean Stanton in Florida.
As for why there has been such a significant increase in instances of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students, researchers believe that technology is to blame.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
That is all the information that is available at this time. This article will be updated with new and relevant information should it become available.
