Trenton Gym Teacher Loses License For Two Years After Incident in Parsippany

PARSIPPANY, N.J.– The State Board of Examiners suspended a Trenton gym teacher's license for two years after he allegedly stomped on the face of an opposing player during an adult soccer league game in Parsippany.

David M. Pekarek was accepted into a pretrial intervention program (PTI) following a Nov. 17, 2013 arrest for aggravated assault, according to the State Board of Examiner's order of suspension.

"Pekarek had allegedly stomped on a fellow soccer player’s face while he was lying prone on the ground after a play," the document states. "Pekarek’s actions caused the victim to lose consciousness temporarily."

A judge found that “Pekarek’s personnel records reflect, other than the incident on November 7, 2013, an effective performance as a physical education teacher," but his actions “clearly demonstrate conduct
that is unbecoming, or just cause for a revocation of the certificates.”

Pekarek protested and the board reduced the penalty to a two-year suspension, following a review by the deputy attorney general.