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New York teacher disciplinary defense lawyer

Nov 30 2018

Teacher gets warning after being caught with female student on lap

A high school teacher in Queens, New York was suspended and given a “final warning” after a female student was allegedly found sitting on his lap in a dark classroom in May 2017.

Biology teacher Farzad Ghelichkhani, 36, had to leave John Adams High School due to the alleged incident and was prohibited from contacting students. During his disciplinary hearing, Ghelichkhani testified that the student had wanted to discuss her personal problems with him in private. According to records, the teacher said the lights were off because the girl had a headache. He maintained she “tripped and fell” onto his lap while showing him a finger injury.

A dean entered the classroom after unlocking the door and allegedly caught Ghelichkhani and the girl in a compromising position. She claimed she saw the student standing between Ghelichkhani’s legs, which were “wide apart.”

The hearing officer said Ghelichkhani should not have allowed the student to stand or sit in such close proximity in a locked classroom. However, she rejected the Department of Education’s efforts to terminate the teacher. He received a six-month unpaid suspension instead and was warned that future violations would lead to his dismissal. Ghelichkhani had no prior disciplinary history.

If you are a teacher who has been accused of misconduct, contact the defense attorneys at Brill Legal Group. We provide skilled representation to individuals who are facing investigations or disciplinary hearings.