Elementary School Teacher Arrested For Allegedly Dangling Student Over Balcony
He was named teacher of the month in January 2013.
An elementary teacher from San Francisco was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly holding a student over the edge of a second-floor balcony. Andres Tobar, 47, turned himself in, and he now faces charges of felony child endangerment, according to a press release from the San Francisco Police Department.
The department’s Special Victims Unit launched an investigation into this alleged abuse in January. The incident is believed to have taken place at Marshall Elementary School in December.
He was witnessed “cradling a student and holding the student over the balcony,” according to Gentle Blythe, a spokeswoman for San Francisco Unified School District, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The child did not suffer any physical injuries stemming from the alleged abuse. It is unclear how old that child is.
Tobar is being held without bail. It’s unclear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf at this time.
Tobar works for the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). He has since been placed on administrative leave, according to KTVU.
“The school immediately contacted the parent of the involved student and [San Francisco Unified School District] placed Mr. Tobar on paid administrative leave while the district conducted a thorough investigation,” Blythe told the San Francisco Examiner.
Tobar was named teacher of the month in January 2013.
“He is a dearly loved teacher, and this will be a real challenge for the school to overcome,” Lloyd Rath, who worked with him, told the San Francisco Examiner. Apparently, the teacher was so beloved that a rally was even held for him after his arrest.
If you believe you may have been a victim or had any suspicious contact with the subject please contact the San Francisco Police Special Victim's Unit (415) 558-5500. Anyone with additional information is also urged to contact the SFPD anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 with SFPD at the beginning of the message.
[Photo: San Francisco Police Department]