A substitute teacher in Massachusetts allegedly sent a gruesome message to a special needs student after the teenager complained about her, telling the 13-year-old boy in one message to “suck my big toe.”
Stephanie Papasedero, a longtime substitute teacher at Hingham Middle School, was fired in late March after parents complained about disturbing messages she allegedly sent to classmates, despite being told not to.
The disgraced teacher sent messages during and after school hours, and on weekends, prosecutors said. Investigators said they discovered she also sent videos of other children her age fighting with each other. Boston News 25 reported.
Papasadero was charged with solicitation and pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Hingham District Court on Wednesday.
Dressed in a light summer halter-style dress and a white sweater, she appeared angry at times. After the hearing, she was seen with a sweater over her head as she left the courtroom when a reporter tried to approach her.
Stephanie Papasedero, a longtime substitute teacher at Hingham Middle School, was fired in late March after parents complained about disturbing messages she allegedly sent to classmates, despite being told not to.
Classes at Hingham High School located in Hingham, Massachusetts, begin on September 4.
Papasodero’s role at the high school was to help three students with learning disabilities.
During the investigation, the parents showed police officers “videos, Facetimes, text messages and pictures from various social media sites,” prosecutors said.
Families were alerted to her alleged atrocious behavior via an internal email issued by Hingham High School Principal Derek, informing them that she had violated school policy.
But investigators said Papasodero continued to send inappropriate messages to a 13-year-old girl after being warned not to.
“(redacted) is a snitch,” he allegedly wrote.
Another alleged message read: ‘Now (censored) do me a favor and give him points.’
The text messages that Papasedero allegedly sent to the student
The disgraced teacher was charged with solicitation.
He is also accused of sending the following message on Snapchat: “Yeah (censored) suck my big toe.”
According to the prosecutor, the victim’s mother believed that Papasodero’s intention was to make the student feel ‘responsible for her dismissal, marginalized by her peers.
Despite the ordeal, her teaching license is still valid.
She has been released but has not been allowed near any of the district’s schools or have contact with any students or witnesses.
The disgraced teacher chuckled during her appearance on Wednesday.
The Massachusetts Department of Education told the outlet it would not comment until the case is complete and action is taken.
Meanwhile, Papasodero’s defense attorney, Josh Werner, said his client does not believe she did anything wrong and says he “doesn’t see anything that even remotely relates to the charge.”
Werner added: “In this case, it appears that a teacher was communicating with a student.”
Papasodero has been released but is not allowed to go near any Hingham school or communicate with the victim or any witnesses in the case.
