Schools

Ossining Teacher, Charged with Raping Student, Returns to Court Next Tuesday

One parent of a student of Azabache said the teacher had a "profound" effect on his son; he said, "I pray the allegations aren't true, but I also know that people are complicated."

The 31-year-old math teacher at Ossining High School arrested Friday afternoon—the day of his wedding—on allegations of raping a 16-year-old female student is due back in town criminal court next Tuesday.

Immediately following the news that John Azabache of Port Chester was arrested by Ossining Village Police and charged with two counts of rape in the third degree, a felony, Ossining Schools superintendent Raymond Sanchez sent a letter to parents.

"We are extremely disturbed by these allegations, as I am sure all of you are, and we are cooperating with law enforcement officials in their investigation of the matter,” the letter read.

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Sanchez said Azabache had been reassigned from his teaching position and banned from school grounds until the legal outcome of the case. Sanchez could not yet be reached for further clarification on what "reassigned" means.

"Allegations such as this can violate the confidence that parents should rightly have in their teachers and school district, which we will not tolerate," he wrote. "Parents should always view their schools as safe and nurturing places of learning and support."

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What people to seem to be expressing is not necessarily a lack of confidence in the system but patience that the system will reveal the full story in time.

Christopher Cavanaugh, a parent of a student who had a positive experience with Azabache as a teacher, wrote on Patch:

“Let's see where it goes in the legal process. Mr. A. had a profound effect on my son as a student, helping him to love to learn and really find himself academically. I pray the allegations are not true, but I also know that people are complicated. As my wife told our son, we need to stay open minded until all the facts come out. There could be a dark side to Mr. A, or there could be a troubled young person making false allegations. We seen to forget 'innocent until proven guilty.'"

Online reaction ranged from sympathy for the bride-to-be and for the victim to admitting the full picture has not yet emerged.

Maureen Curan commented on Patch, 

“We do not have enough info to understand the whole picture. [Some] have 'Rushed to Judgement' against the girl, who is a possible victim in this horrendous situation. But, these kind of cases, they must protect the victim & possible other students/children. We don't know how long ago, why it took so long, etc. Whatever, the outcome it is truly sad for all involved (Families, included). They're lives are changed Forever!"

Are you a parent whose child had Azabache as a teacher? What's your take on Friday's news? Weigh in below.


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