A former New Jersey elementary school teacher has voluntarily surrendered his teaching licenses after being accused of taping a 9-year-old student’s head to a desk as punishment.
Todd Lewis, 58, relinquished both of his state-issued teaching licenses to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners, according to recent local reports. Lewis had held his elementary education certifications since 2004 and 2005.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/lenox-elemtary-school-wayne-new-jersey-102425-9162b0a6caf041c3920b7e79402a33f6.jpg)
Authorities say the incident occurred in early October 2024 at Lenox Hill Elementary School in Wayne, where Lewis was employed. According to the Pompton Lakes Police Department, Lewis allegedly used masking tape to secure the back of the student’s neck to his desk for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.
Police also arrested the classroom aide, Sallyann Scala, 68, who was accused of standing by during the alleged incident and failing to intervene.
Lewis was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, while Scala faced fourth-degree abuse and child neglect charges.
At the time of the arrests in December 2024, police stated that if convicted, Lewis could face five to ten years in state prison, and Scala could face up to 18 months.
According to state prison records, neither individual is currently in custody.
