Marlboro Middle School Teacher Charged With Offensive Touching Of Student

MARLBORO, NJ — A Marlboro middle school teacher has been charged with a disorderly persons offense in connection with allegations that she molested a student in a hallway at the school, Marlboro Township police said.

Jenna Sciabica, 38, a special education teacher at Marlboro Memorial Middle School, has been charged with one count of harassment-offensive touching, a petty disorderly persons offense, Marlboro Capt. Steven Levy said. She was charged Friday, after a month of investigation into the accusations, which were reported March 13, he said.

The girl's parents accused Sciabica of molesting their daughter on March 13 in the hallway of the school in the view of cameras during the Marlboro Township Board of Education meeting on April 16. Read more: Teacher Molested Girl On Camera In Marlboro School Hallway, Mom Says

Levy confirmed information the mother shared during the board meeting, that the incident was witnessed by another staff member and involved Sciabica touching the student over her clothing in the hallway.

"Marlboro Police were immediately notified by school administration that the teacher was placed on leave and would not be returning to the middle school," Levy said.

Sciabica's attorney, Mitchell Ansell of Ocean Township, called the accusations outrageous and said she will be pleading not guilty.

Sciabica, who has been teaching for 15 years, "has never had any prior allegations and/or accusations filed against her and has an exemplary record," Ansell said in a written statement.

Levy said the Marlboro police investigation included "interviews, reviewing footage of school security cameras, gathering written statements and examining all the evidence presented in this case."

The charge against Sciabica was filed in consultation with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, he said.

Sciabica had submitted her resignation and it was on the school board's agenda on April 16 for action, but the board delayed a vote on it to discuss whether to pursue tenure charges. The board has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday, April 25, for additional discussion in executive session, according to a notice on the district's website.

Under tenure proceedings, the teacher could potentially lose her pension if the state tenure board agrees, but it is not a guaranteed outcome and would require keeping her on the payroll until the matter is decided.

Ansell said Sciabica and her family have been subjected to bomb and death threats in the wake of the April 16 school board meeting.

Bomb threats to Marlboro Middle School and the Marboro school board offices prompted the district to close on Thursday and have a delayed opening on Friday.

At the school board meeting, the girl's parents also expressed outrage at the response from the school board's attorney, Marc Zitomer, accusing him of blaming them for what happened to their daughter.

School board president Valentina Mendez announced at the April 16 meeting that the board will have a different attorney from Zitomer's firm going forward and the board will be considering bids for attorney services shortly.

Ansell, who said Sciabica "has been dedicated to the education of students for over 15 years," said Sciabica had known the student for three years and had a "very close relationship with the student's family, even going as far as having been invited into their home on numerous occasions."

"There was nothing illegal, improper or immoral about the interaction between Jenna and this student on March 13, 2024. Quite frankly, it's outrageous and defamatory for Jenna to have been accused of committing a crime," he said. "We are confident that once a judge hears all the facts in this case, Jenna will be completely exonerated and her good name, character and reputation will be restored. "