Tara Cardinale, a therapist at a private high school in Paramus, New Jersey, is the latest educator to start off 2020 by being busted for an inappropriate relationship with a student. The 39-year-old who worked at New Alliance Academy reportedly had a sexual relationship with a student “on more than one occasion,” according to NJ.com.
Multiple incidents occurred at Cardinale’s home, prosecutors say.
Cardinale has been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of criminal sexual contact. The licensed clinical social worker was held without bail ahead of her first court appearance.
The student was under 18 years old.
New Alliance Academy has not commented on Cardinale’s arrest.
Over the course of the past year alone, a handful of teachers have been arrested on similar charges, including 25-year-old substitute teacher Alexis Mercedes Boberg in Baltimore, 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. Additionally, Texas teachers Meredith Null and Edna Longoria were arrested on similar charges.
As for why the number of these incidents has seemingly increased, studies suggest that smartphones are the primary reason for the spike in illicit relationships, as it allows teachers to communicate with the minors without supervision.
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.
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