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Veronica Pezdan, a 28-year-old math teacher in Long Island, New York, was arrested and accused of carrying out a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old male student.
According to News 12, Pezdan carried out the relationship over two months while teaching at Shoreham-Wading River High School.
Pezdan has been charged with two counts of rape in the third degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
She was apprehended by authorities after leaving the school at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
“Effective immediately, this individual will no longer be employed by the district and a new teacher will be placed in the classroom. The individual in question passed all necessary New York State background checks prior to employment,” the school district said in a statement.
“The Administration and Board of Education are deeply concerned about these allegations. Please be assured that the District does not tolerate and condemns such behaviors. The District is fully cooperating with authorities. As this is a police matter, as well as a matter of personnel, the District is not able to comment further.”
Over the course of the past year alone, a handful of teachers have been arrested on similar charges, including 25-year-old substitute teacher Alexis Mercedes Boberg in Baltimore, Beulah High School teacher Kelsie Schmidt in North Dakota, Rancocas Valley Regional High School teacher Alexandra Reiner in New Jersey, and 50-year-old Florida substitute teacher Angela Jean Stanton in Florida. Additionally, Texas teachers Meredith Null and Edna Longoria were arrested on similar charges.
As for why the number of these incidents has seemingly increased, studies suggest that smartphones are the primary reason for the spike in illicit relationships, as it allows teachers to communicate with the minors without supervision.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make it easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
