A French teacher, defiant and unyielding, remains in the classroom even after being ousted by the Department of Education. She boasts that the city “can’t touch” her despite facing charged accusations that led to her termination, including the revelation of nearly 30,000 late-night texts sent to a schoolgirl.
Almonte, 33, was dismissed from Harry S. Truman High School in The Bronx in 2020 following substantiated claims of inappropriate behaviour with students, including sending nearly 30,000 late-night texts to a schoolgirl.
“I can’t be guilty if I’m still a teacher,” Almonte, who now teaches at a Bronx charter school, boldly declared, expressing disdain for the DOE’s decision to terminate her employment.
Despite losing her job, Almonte continues to assert her status as a teacher, boasting, “Still a teacher! Can’t touch me!” with unwavering confidence.
A 2022 SCI report labelled her behaviour as “excessive” and concluded that she had no place in New York City Schools, citing her extensive contact with students.
Phone records revealed that Almonte sent over 28,000 late-night texts to a 17-year-old student over 14 months and nearly 1,900 texts exchanged with a male 12th-grader.
The NYPD investigated claims of a sexual encounter between Almonte and a former pupil in a classroom, although no arrests were made, and Almonte denied the allegations.
Despite her denial, a lengthy SCI probe documented thousands of late-night and weekend communications with students, including encrypted calls and visits to her Bronx residence.
Almonte, disputing the investigation findings, is currently employed as a Spanish teacher at a charter school, where the average teacher salary is approximately $74,000.
Critics argue that some New York City public school teachers, like Almonte, disregard DOE rules regarding inappropriate contact with students, benefiting from a flawed disciplinary process.
Unlike some states that maintain public databases of educator misconduct, New York lacks such transparency, allowing predatory teachers to evade scrutiny.
Billie-Jo Grant, a researcher for SESAME, notes that fewer than 5% of school administrators nationwide report sexual misconduct, citing reluctance to damage reputations.
Over the past five years, SCI has substantiated 254 misconduct allegations by DOE employees, but only a tiny fraction resulted in criminal charges.
While a criminal conviction leads to immediate license revocation, contractual rules require multiple arbitration hearings before revoking a teacher’s license.
The DOE does not share incriminating information on fired teachers with other districts or schools, and resignations before termination obscure investigative findings.
Despite SCI’s findings, there is no record of disciplinary action by the state Education Department against Almonte on their website.
Almonte’s case underscores systemic flaws in addressing educator misconduct and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the education system.
As the debate over teacher accountability continues, concerns persist about the safety and well-being of students in New York City schools.
©M10news 2024
