Removed From Industrial Arts Position at Saunders HS
On August 31, the Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and Yonkers Public Schools announced they are investigating student allegations of criminal behavior by a Yonkers Public Schools high school teacher. Investigation has yielded that the teacher, a staff member at Saunders Trades and Technical High School identified as James KORWATCH, allegedly began an inappropriate relationship with the then 17-year-old student in 2021 and that relationship escalated to physical and sexual violence as well as physical and verbal intimidation and coercion.
KORWATCH is a 49-year-old carpentry teacher at the school and a resident of the Village of Ossining, New York. KORWATCH was arrested by Yonkers Police on August 31st: he is being charged with Criminal Sexual Act 1, a Class B Violent Felony in the New York State Penal Law and Stalking 1, a Class D Violent Felony in the New York State Penal Law; additional charges may be expected. KORWATCH is due to be arraigned today in Yonkers Criminal Court. The case is being prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Additional information may be released as it becomes available, however no information will be released as to the pedigree or identity of the student victim and details of the investigation will remain limited.
“Based on these serious and disturbing allegations, Mr. Korwatch has been removed from his teaching responsibilities. The District has and will continue to fully cooperate with the Yonkers Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney. As this is an ongoing investigation and a matter of personnel, no further comments can be made by the school district,” Yonkers Public Schools spokesperson Jerilynne Fierstein wrote in a statement.
The Yonkers Police and Westchester County District Attorney’s Office is asking anyone with knowledge of criminal or suspicious conduct on the part of James KORWATCH to contact Yonkers Police Detective Robert Metz at (914) 377-7725 – all calls may remain confidential. Anonymous tips can be sent by texting the key word YPD plus the tip to CRIMES (274637); anonymous tips can also be sent to us directly through the Yonkers Police website by clicking on the submit a tip button.
NOTE: Booking charges are merely accusations and the defendant(s) are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
