A tenured Louisiana music teacher has been charged with cruelty to children and simple assault for allegedly placing Band-Aids over the mouths of seven of his students, Us Weekly has learned.
Pearl River Police contend George Serban allegedly placed the Band-Aids on the students’ mouths because they would not stop talking during class.
Serban, 38, is a teacher of music at Riverside Elementary School in Pearl River, where he has tenure.
According to police, Serban was arrested on Tuesday, March 17, after the seven students told their parents Band-Aids were placed over their mouths as punishment for speaking in class on Monday, March 16.
The students are aged 8 to 10, according to police.
The Band-Aids were stuck to their lips against their wills, according to investigators.
“Officers interviewed the children and learned that the children were scared and very afraid,” police said in a statement.
“Pearl River Police officers were in constant contact with the St. Tammany Parish School Board and worked together to come to a resolution of this incident as soon as possible,” the release stated.
The children’s parents were notified of the allegations and insisted that he face criminal charges.
Serban surrendered to the authorities after learning he was the subject of an active arrest warrant. He was processed at the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center, where, on Wednesday, March 18, he posted a $15,000 bond for his release.
His attorney, Robert Toale, sent a statement to WDSU, saying that the adhesive bandages were just part of his lesson that day.
“He was teaching his students musical concepts developed by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze,” the statement reads. “You can Google and learn more about the Dalroze eurythmics technique but suffice it to say the band-aids were meant to cover a sense, to better understand pitch.”
Toale added the Band-Aids were not placed on the children as a punishment. In fact, “I also understand the children were playing around, as 3rd graders do, using the band-aids as fake mustaches.”
It was unclear if he had entered pleas at any point.
Us tried to contact Serban via phone, email, and social media, but received no responses.
Police said the case will now be turned over to the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney.
St. Tammany Parish Public Schools officials were unavailable for comment on Thursday, March 19, and the prosecutor’s office did not return a call seeking comment.
Information about Serban’s employment status was also unavailable at press time.
