Teacher suspected of harassing student in Hod Hasharon
Police say conduct part of a pattern of behavior by instructor at other schools where he worked
Police on Tuesday arrested a 44-year-old teacher from the central Israeli town of Hod Hasharon suspected of maintaining an inappropriate relationship with a 12-year-old student.
According to the police complaint, the teacher had repeatedly reached out to her to request she meet with him one-on-one.
Authorities opened an investigation, and quickly discovered that the teacher’s conduct was part of a similar pattern of behavior carried out at other schools where he taught. The suspect is believed to have transferred to a new workplace each time he thought he was in danger of getting caught, police said.
A police statement said that the Education Ministry has been notified of the arrest and that the teacher, who teaches Bible and geography, has since been suspended.
Last month, police arrested a substitute teacher at a school in northern Tel Aviv on suspicion that he had sexually harassed and assaulted at least 10 second-grade students.
According to reports, the teacher made a number of sexually explicit comments toward some of the girls and also is alleged to have inappropriately touched a number of them during a class. The incident came to light after one of the girls complained to her mother, who then told the principal, who informed the Education Ministry, which subsequently alerted the police.