NJ Teacher Accused Of Taping Student’s Head To Desk Loses License

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County teacher who is accused of taping a student’s head to their desk has surrendered his teaching certificates, according to state education officials.

Todd Lewis, 58, of Wayne, was arrested last year after he was criminally charged following an alleged incident in his second-grade classroom at Lenox Elementary School in Pompton Lakes.

Documents recently filed with the New Jersey State Board of Examiners show that Lewis has “agreed to relinquish his certificates” after the board reviewed an affidavit from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the incident.

Specifically, Lewis has relinquished his Teacher of Elementary School in Grades K-8 Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing, issued in 2004, and his Teacher of Elementary School in Grades K-8 standard certificate, issued in 2005.

In December 2024, Lewis was arrested after he was accused of putting masking tape around the back of a student’s neck and securing it to his desk, investigators said.

Officials added that the boy was stuck to the desk for 40 to 50 minutes.

Lewis was initially charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, but those charges were reduced to fourth-degree abuse and neglect of children in April, court documents show.

Authorities said that 67-year-old teacher’s aide Sallyann Scala was present during the incident and "failed to intervene.” She was charged with fourth-degree abuse and neglect of children.

Both of the accused were released on pre-trial monitoring and are not to have any contact with minors, officials said.