New Jersey Janitors Accused Of Binding And Gagging Students In Bathroom (VIDEO)

Two janitors from Gregory Elementary School in Long Beach, NJ., have been placed on paid suspension after they allegedly bound and gagged two 10-year-old students with tape in the bathroom and took pictures of them, MyFOX New York reports.

Local site The Link News reports that, although officials claim the incident was meant as a joke, the Long Branch Police Department and Institutional Abuse/DYFS have launched an investigation to determine the motives behind the actions.

Superintendent of Schools Michael Salvatore said that all teachers at the school have been instructed to report whispers of any similar incidents at the school, and that the two janitors were sent home immediately after the security camera footage was reviewed, according to The Link News.

Long Branch Patch had more of Salvatore's statement:

"Regardless of criminality, as the acts are claimed to be without malice and in jest; we have taken abrupt action as a safeguard to the children," Salvatore said in the statement. "It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure the safety and well-being of every child."

Regardless of whether or not the incident was intended as a joke or whether charges will be filed, area residents are clearly unhappy about the news.

“I just thought that it was very messed up,” Long Branch resident Andrea Colbert told CBS New York.

Salvatore told the station that while there is "no evidence" to suggest the incident was sexual in nature and that there has been some "emotional distress" at the school, and staff have "lost sleep" over the situation.

WATCH:

Comments

[GodLoveU]

09:51 AM on 03/07/2012

God please help us as Satan is running a mock.

[candlesmp]

04:05 PM on 03/06/2012

WTH? Why on earth would a janitor be doing that to any student - as a joke?! That's absolutely absurd! Anybody who believes that this was in jest - needs to have their heads examined. The kids are probably traumatized from this incident. Talk about bullying. Ridiculous. I hope there is a full investigation with an outcome of: fired and charged with assault.

[mplsmomma]

02:06 PM on 03/06/2012

Suspended with pay is procedure. They are obviously going to fire these two, but just so they don't get completely sued, they are going to follow procedure. It is just a legality, you all need to stop taking it as a tacit approval of what these sickos have done.

[James F Barry]

10:18 AM on 03/06/2012

This has taken the phase "children should be seen but not heard" a bit to far....

[rickcraft55]

09:31 AM on 03/06/2012

Bullying by janitors gets them a paid vacation. Great job administrators. I am surprised some parent has not gone after these two.

[texasphd]

11:40 PM on 03/05/2012

These pervs are climbing over each other to shock every decent American. Hey, that sounds kinda kinky?

[Your name here]

11:29 PM on 03/05/2012

They were suspended with pay? Why not arrested and fired?

[MauiWalter]

10:55 PM on 03/05/2012

I've seen that movie.......

[up in the air]

10:22 PM on 03/05/2012

The kids probably deserved it, they are so disrespectful these days.

[Tchild50]

08:33 PM on 03/05/2012

There is nothing funny about this. Kids are supposed to be in school learning, not being the butt of someones practical joke. I'm sure those pictures would have made their way to Facebook, or some other social media site. What are adults thinking with, evidently not their brains. They also placed the school system in a position to be sued by the parents. I'm sorry for these numbskulls, but they need to be fired. Kids are having enough trouble after the shootings in Ohio, they don't need this added to the mix.

[dryfd]

08:06 PM on 03/05/2012

So any guess why the ADULTS who bound and gagged the CHILDREN have not been arrested? If this was just a couple of adults or parents doing this to children they would be in jail not sent home on a paid vacation. Bet it has to do with their contract with the school wich makes it difficult to prosecute them. They should be charged with child abuse and put in jail.

[sanfran55]

10:54 AM on 03/06/2012

Fanned.

[HRHuffinpuffy]

07:55 PM on 03/05/2012

These guys need to be cleaning up in jail. Paid suspension, only in America's public education system could you get paid suspension for tying up and gagging third graders.

[belldn3]

07:25 PM on 03/05/2012

What were they playing, Navy Seals?

[Atwill]

07:16 PM on 03/05/2012

Suspended. really. suspended. If you suspend him over a river full of alligators and lower him slowly til lthey eat him inch by inch, ok. Is that the kind of suspension you mean?

[Peacockjp]

08:50 PM on 03/05/2012

I can't believe these two were not fired. Where are the Parents of these abused kids?

[cuteliberalchick]

06:41 PM on 03/05/2012

That is very sad.