NYC high school teacher raped student for years: investigators

A former New York City teacher raped a student for years and sent vile text messages to her when she was between 16 and 17 years old, according to the city’s Special Commisioner of Investigation.

Lennard Persaud, who taught at John Adams HS in Queens, began engaging in “non-consensual sexual intercourse” with his female student in 2014, according to a recently released SCI report.

“His conduct was not only egregious and dangerous but was predatory,” the report said.

Lennard Persaud taught at John Adams High School in Queens. Robert Miller

In the first harrowing incident, he allegedly drove her to pick up food and parked his car in an alley and forced himself on her.

The teen desperately tried to fight him off and “clawed” at the alleged predator while screaming “Stop! Take me home!” as he assaulted her.

In another incident in 2015, Persaud, 51, allegedly drove the student to the parking lot of a casino, sat her on his lap and raped her as she begged him to stop.

The accused teacher sent numerous disgusting text messages to his victim over a period of two years, according to the report.

The investigation began in April 2023, nearly a decade after the assaults allegedly took place, when SCI was tipped by a whistleblower the victim confided in, according to the report.

Persaud, who began teaching in New York City Schools in 1998 and made $140,794 in 2024, was reassigned during the investigation and criminally charged in June 2023.

One of the incidents occurred in the parking lot of Casino World. Robert Mecea

He was slapped with felony third-degree rape and criminal sex act charges and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child and sexual abuse charges.

He ultimately plead guilty to disorderly conduct; the Office of Queens District Attorney refused to say why Persaud was given a sweetheart plea deal.

“Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our students, and the behavior described in this case is deeply disturbing, and a profound betrayal of the trust placed in educators,” a Department of Education spokesperson told The Post.