Teacher Suspended As External Agency Investigates

The unanimously approved a motion to suspend a Hillsborough teacher during its Monday meeting, pending the results of an external agency's investigation.

District officials did not reveal the teacher’s identity or the school where the teacher works, nor did it reveal the nature of the suspension, citing its personnel policies. The teacher has been suspended with pay while the investigation progresses, according to Assistant Superintendent for Personnel Scott Rocco.

The suspension may change as the investigation progresses, however.

“Once we have more information on the situation we’ll make a decision on that,” Rocco said. “Right now we are just waiting for an investigation to be completed and then we will make a decision (on whether to suspend without pay) after.”

Rocco said the investigation involved an external agency but would not reveal the agency. The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office did not return a call for comment.

The district’s public policy follows New Jersey state laws regarding Open Public Records Act exemptions, which includes exemptions for ongoing investigations. In addition, its personnel policy states that records maintained in personnel files are not public records, except for employee's name, title, position, assignments, salary, payroll record, length of service in the district and in military service, the date and reason for separation from service in this district, and the amount and type of pension a former employee receives.

The last incident involving a teacher suspension occurred between 2006 and 2007, and involved teacher Seth Canata.

Canata served as a history teacher and track coach prior to his 2006 arrest and his June 29, 2007 guilty plea. According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, he pled guilt to one count of second degree official misconduct and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact as a result of the incident.

The charges stemmed from allegations of sexual contact with a former student who was 17 during the time of the incident.

According to the New Jersey Department of Corrections sex offender database, Canata received no mandatory minimum term during his sentencing. He served from Nov. 2, 2007—the date he was sentenced—until his parole on July 31, 2008, according to the database.

During that incident, the district placed Canata on a leave of absence and then terminated his contract following the guilty plea.