GILROY
A female teacher at Gilroy High School is being investigated for allegedly slapping and pushing three students.
Oct. 13, the parent of a GHS student reported the teacher, whose name was withheld, to the Gilroy Police Department. During the week-long investigation that followed, School Resource Officer Cherie Somavia discovered that three students, a 14-year-old female, a 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old female, claimed to have been pushed or slapped by the teacher.
After interviewing the victims, the teacher and witnesses, Somavia concluded that the students had been assaulted on three separate occasions within a week’s time.
Because the alleged crime is a misdemeanor that was not committed in the presence of police, the case has been sent to the Office of the District Attorney for review, Sgt. Jim Gillio said. From there the district attorney can drop the case or issue an arrest warrant, he said.
The Gilroy Unified School District has been cooperating with the authorities, Gillio said, to “ensure that the matter is handled appropriately.”
Gillio would not say whether the teacher had been suspended and Superintendent Deborah Flores did not immediately return phone messages.
