Nassau Judge Calls for Tougher Penalty in Case of Theater Teacher’s Inappropriate Conduct with Student
Manhasset, New York — A tenured high school theater teacher has been found to have engaged in inappropriate physical contact with a student during a rehearsal, prompting a Nassau judge to advocate for stronger disciplinary measures beyond a previous fine and mandatory training. Nassau Supreme Court Justice Catherine Rizzo criticized a hearing officer’s earlier decision that permitted Robbert Fessler to retain his teaching position after he demonstrated acting techniques that included kissing a student’s arm. Rizzo’s ruling emphasized that the original ruling did not sufficiently consider the potential harm to the student involved, stating that … Read more