No Charges Will Be Filed Against Newark Teacher Arrested in San Francisco

A Newark Memorial High School teacher was put on administrative leave after being arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, Superintendent Dave Marken confirmed Tuesday.

The 35-year-old teacher, whose name is not being published by Patch because charges are not due to be filed, was arrested on suspicion of five counts of child endangerment and a misdemeanor battery on Feb. 24 in San Francisco, said Communications Director Stephanie Ong Stillman of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

However, all charges were dropped “because of insufficient evidence,” Stillman said. The teacher was released from custody on Feb. 28, she added.

The special education teacher was placed on administrative leave Wednesday, shortly after the state Department of Justice notified district officials of her arrest, Marken said.

Stillman said that five youths under the age of 18 were with the teacher when she was arrested. A person close to the incident, who asked to not be identified, said five boys accompanied the teacher to dinner that night. It is believed they are students.

Marken did not comment on whether the minors with the teacher were students but said that notion was “not far off base.”

The teacher will remain on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure, while district officials investigate the incident, Marken said.