Photo Courtesy of Google
Canzoneri was a teacher at Townsend Harris High School in Kew Gardens Hills.
By Michael V. Cusenza
City Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Hillcrest) on Monday ripped City Education officials for allowing a teacher found to have plied a student with marijuana and alcohol before sleeping with her to return to Townsend Harris High School in Kew Gardens Hills.
It was only after a group of THHS student journalists uncovered the issue in a series of school-paper stories that the City Department of Education acted and permanently removed the perv instructor.
Gennaro delivered his thoughts in a lengthy, scathing statement:
“In 2019, a city Special Commissioner of Investigation report found that THHS teacher Joseph Canzoneri had sexual relations with a student after providing her with alcohol and marijuana and that he engaged in other forms of sexual misconduct with other students. THHS is located in the 24th Council District, which I represent.
Photo Courtesy of Emil Cohen/NY City Council
“I find it unconscionable that Canzoneri was returned in September to THHS, where although he was no longer assigned to a teaching position, he had access to students,” Councilman Gennaro said.
“The NYC Department of Education appropriately pursued his termination after the SCI report, but all charges against him were later dropped because the involved students refused to testify against him in a hearing.
“Although I am normally cautious to not call for the removal and punishment of a teacher over allegations unless they are substantiated after appropriate due process, in this case the SCI report was unequivocal in the findings of its investigation that Joseph Canzoneri had indeed engaged in sexual relations with several students. The report findings are the difference.
“In light of the findings of the SCI report and the gravity of the charges against Canzoneri, I find it unconscionable that Canzoneri was returned in September to THHS, where although he was no longer assigned to a teaching position, he had access to students. This was an outrageously insensitive and dangerous decision by the DOE, and I condemn the judgement of the DOE that put additional students at risk for sexual predation.
“Fortunately, intrepid student reporters at the THHS’ student newspaper, The Classic, revealed the colossal blunder of the Board of Education and their reporting led to the permanent removal of Canzoneri from THHS and his placement in a DOE central administration building without contact with students, according to the DOE.
“I stand with the students and parents of the THHS student body, and with the students and parents and guardians of all NYC students that there needs to be zero tolerance for any form of sexual predation in NYC schools. I congratulate the student reporters of The Classic for their service to the THHS community in revealing the DOE’s dangerous and unconscionable lapse in judgement.”
