Police have arrested a 33-year-old female teacher in Queens, New York, on charges of raping and sexually abusing a 14-year-old student at her school.
The teacher, Melissa Rockensies, was taken into custody at around 10:30 a.m. in Queens and was charged with rape, criminal sexual act, and acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17, according to the NYPD.
Rockensies, who earned about $85,000 last year, has been reassigned from her position at Corona Arts and Sciences Academy while the case is ongoing, a DOE spokesperson confirmed.
In a statement to local outlet QNS, the DOE spokesperson expressed deep concern over the allegations and stated that if Rockensies is convicted, her employment with the DOE will be terminated.
Ironically, a Facebook post from October 2021, allegedly from Rockensies, discussed educating children about consent.
The post advised adults to ask children if they would like to give a relative a hug, rather than insisting they do so.
It also encouraged parents to communicate to their children that they should not keep secrets from their family.
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