Providence teacher arrested for allegedly biting student
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Providence Police Department said that a behavior interventionalist at Lillian Feinstein Elementary School was arrested after allegedly biting a student on Sept. 5.
Yaritza Martinez was charged with simple assault or battery.
Police said that Martinez allegedly bit a student who threw paint across a room.
The department added that the student had met with police after the incident and showed the area where the they were bitten.
A letter from the principal of the school to the community can be read below:
Dear Lillian Feinstein Elementary School Families,
As your principal, I want to reaffirm that the safety and well-being of our students is and always will be my highest priority. I am writing today to inform you of two recent incidents involving staff members that have understandably raised concern.
Late Friday evening, it was reported that a staff member at Lillian Feinstein Elementary School at Sackett Street allegedly engaged with a student under their supervision in a manner that violated our professional standards. Providence Police responded promptly, and the employee, who had already left for the day, was immediately placed on leave and has not returned to the school. They have since been charged with simple assault or battery. This was an isolated incident, and no other students were involved.
In a separate and unrelated matter, another report was received late yesterday regarding alleged unprofessional behavior by a different educator in a classroom setting. This individual was also placed on leave pending an internal investigation.
In both cases, school administration acted in accordance with District policy, notifying the families involved and the appropriate authorities. Our Student Support Services team has been activated to provide care and guidance to the affected children and their families.
As investigations are ongoing, we are limited in the details we can share. However, I want to assure you that these incidents do not reflect the values or character of our school community. Lillian Feinstein Elementary is a welcoming environment, home to a vibrant student body, dedicated educators, and committed support staff.
We take any breach of trust seriously. Inappropriate behavior by any member of our school community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
If you have questions or would like to speak with us directly, please don’t hesitate to contact the school at (401) 456-9407.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Sincerely,
Maria Petrosinelli
Principal
Lillian Feinstein Elementary School at Sackett Street
