A 29-year-old teacher at Montgomery High School in New Jersey has been arrested and charged with sending nude photos of herself and engaging in sexually explicit conversations through social media with a 17-year-old student.
A17-year-old is no child, and the age of consent in New jersey is 16, so why the big deal?
Michelina Aichele, of Hillsborough, was arrested Oct. 5, charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and is being held at the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Aichele works as an English teacher at the school, earning $70,306 in 2017, according to state records. Her LinkedIn profile states she has been teaching English at the high school since April 2012.
And she’s fit, too: A December 2006 Courier News report lists Aichele as a senior guard on the Manville High School girls basketball team. An April 2007 Courier News report lists Aichele has a senior shortstop on the Manville High School girls softball team.
“This teacher was suspended and removed from the high school on Oct. 4, 2018 while the investigation was ongoing. The teacher’s suspension shall be continued pending a resolution of the criminal charges, and the district will continue to cooperate with the Somerset County Prosecutor and the Montgomery Township Police Department,” Superintendent of Schools Nancy H. Gartenberg said in a Oct. 9 letter to the Montgomery Township School Community.
Somerset County prosecutors say the Montgomery Township School District contacted police Thursday. Authorities said the student alleged that the Montgomery Township High School teacher engaged in sexual conversations with him “through social media sites and email” over several months. Prosecutors allege that Aichele sent nude photos to the student.
Montgomery Township School District officials declined comment Tuesday; a number listed in Aichele’s name was not in service Wednesday and it’s unclear whether she has an attorney.
