Former Teacher Arrested for Sexual Relationship with Student

A 36-year-old ex-middle school teacher from New Jersey was taken into custody on Thursday after being charged with engaging in a sexual relationship with a student, a relationship that allegedly involved encounters in classrooms and cars.

Former social studies teacher Ashley Fisler has been charged with multiple felonies. Prosecutors state that the illicit relationship occurred in 2021 with a student at Orchard Valley Middle School, located in Mantua Township, which is just south of Philadelphia.

This incident reflects an ongoing issue, as reported by various news outlets, with teachers engaging in sexual relationships with underage students—a troubling trend that seems to surface almost weekly in schools throughout the country.

The alleged victim, now an adult, told investigators that he had several sexual encounters with Fisler in her car and the classroom during January of that year. At that time, she was still a teacher.

Details about the student’s gender have not been disclosed, but it is noted that the student would have been a teenager during the duration of the alleged relationship.

Fisler has denied the accusations, claiming she did not engage in any wrongdoing. However, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office reported that detectives found text messages that hinted at the sexual nature of their relationship.

Those messages reportedly included multiple nude photographs of Fisler sent to the student.

As a result of the investigation, Fisler faces six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor, alongside one second-degree charge for sexual assault endangering a child’s welfare, and another second-degree charge for official misconduct.

If convicted, Fisler could face up to 20 years in prison for the sexual assault charges and an additional 10 years for the second-degree charge.

Authorities have confirmed that Fisler is no longer teaching. She worked in the Washington Township School District in New Jersey for nine years, from 2014 to 2023.

Reports indicate a rising number of sexual misconduct cases involving teachers in New Jersey, with nearly two dozen cases coming to light over recent years. Research shows that educator sexual misconduct has become increasingly common in schools across the country, prompting authorities to adopt new measures to combat such issues.