A math teacher is on paid leave and a police investigation is underway after multiple high school girls made official complaints that the educator made repeated sexual advances, even promising an array of gifts and higher grades if they complied.
Those disturbing claims were made by four girls, according to law enforcement sources, against Guillermo Malpartida, an ESL math teacher at Spring Valley High School.
Two of the four girls spoke exclusively to NBC New York on the condition their identities be concealed.
One 16-year-old girl, an 11th grader at the high school, alleges Malpartida began making inappropriate moves when she was in 9th grade. But those unwanted advances, she said, escalated when the teen had him as her teacher again this year.
“Like some weeks ago, he tried to hug me,” the girl said. “He put his hands on my chest.”
“And he say, ‘can I kiss you?'”
The advances, she said, happened in the classroom — and not just once. The educator made attempts to hug and kiss her “many times,” she said, even offering a gift card and a promise to improve her grades.
A similar offer was made to another student, a 19-year-old who also alleges sexual advances were made by Malpartida this school year.
“He touched me at times and I felt uncomfortable,” she said in Spanish.
A spokesperson for the school district confirmed the law enforcement investigation.
‘The East Ramapo School District is aware of allegations involving a district employee that are currently being reviewed by law enforcement. Upon learning of the allegations, the employee was immediately placed on administrative leave with pay and is not permitted on school property during this process,” the statement read.
Ana Maeda, a parent and advocate in the district, said parents have been kept in the dark about the repeated allegations made against the teacher.
“The school has not given any information,” Maeda told NBC New York. “l am very involved and I didn’t have any idea.”
The spokesman said the district typically waits for the results of a police investigation before potentially sharing information with parents, as it would be a personnel matter.
NBC New York reached out to Malpartida for a comment regarding the allegations and official investigation. He did not respond.
