NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A middle school science teacher and baseball coach at KIPP, a charter school in Washington Heights, was terminated last month due to allegations of sexual misconduct, the school has confirmed to 1010 WINS.
Cesar Sanchez, 39, was arrested after a student of his said Sanchez made sexual comments toward her when she was in the fourth grade later escalating to groping and pressing his crotch against her when she was in middle school, according to a complaint filed against him.
Sanchez was reported to law enforcement after an initial meeting about concerns with one student led to the discovery of further allegations from another, a source told 1010 WINS.
The school’s principal, Danny Swersky, was also terminated earlier this month for improperly handling the allegations against Sanchez, the school confirmed to 1010 WINS.
An Instagram page with the handle @beingblackatKIPP records stories and accounts of people of color associated with the charter school network and has anonymously shared accusations from Sanchez’s former students which include special treatment, lewd comments and sexually suggestive behavior.
This is not Sanchez’s first accusation of misconduct nor is it Swersky's first time being reprimanded for improperly handling it. A source connected to KIPP told 1010 WINS in 2019, Sanchez slept in the same room as a student during an out-of-state school field trip. Principal Swersky failed to report the incident, despite having knowledge of it, and both were subsequently suspended.
Some KIPP families feel the school and larger KIPP lack transparency. Following the 2019 incident, students and families were not told of the nature of Sanchez and Swersky’s absence, instead students and families received an email saying the two were handling personal matters.
During a recent Zoom town hall meeting to address Sanchez and Swersky’s termination, parents say they were kept on mute, had the chat box disabled and questions were allegedly cherry picked for the milder ones.
Sanchez, who is a father of three and married to another KIPP school principal, taught at the school for six years and has been previously celebrated for his work and contributions, including being named the 2018 recipient of New York Family’s “Blackboard Award” for teachers.
The charter school network is still reeling from another sexual abuse scandal. Jesus Concepcion, a former orchestra conductor at KIPP Academy in the Bronx, was arrested in August for abusing middle and high school students between 2002 and 2007. Concepcion pleaded not guilty.
Jane Martinez Dowling, Chief of External Affairs for KIPP NYC, forwarded 1010 WINS emails the school sent the families following both the termination of Sanchez and Swersky. The emails included the reasons for their terminations.
Sanchez’s next court date at New York Criminal Court is Feb. 1, 2022.
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