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A Philly high school teacher was arrested for sexual offenses after he allegedly touched a girl in a classroom

Alexander Finch, 26, allegedly touched the girl’s breasts and buttocks, the girl told police, and "put her in like a chokehold."

The alleged incident took place at Samuel Fels High School, pictured in this file photo.
The alleged incident took place at Samuel Fels High School, pictured in this file photo.Read moreLillian Cadet

A teacher at Philadelphia’s Samuel Fels High School has been charged with sexual offenses and corruption of a minor after a 16-year-old student said he groped her in a classroom.

Alexander Finch, 26, was arrested on Dec. 12, a little more than a month after the alleged incident at the high school in the city’s Crescentville section. On Nov. 11, the 16-year-old girl told police that Finch had put his hand down her shirt while she was in a psychology classroom.

The girl told police that she went to the room to get her book bag, and Finch allegedly grabbed her and said that “she has a really nice body,” according to a criminal complaint. The teacher touched the girl’s breasts and buttocks, she told police, and “put her in like a chokehold,” according to the complaint. After the girl bit Finch’s arm, he let go of her, she said.

The girl — who also said Finch had picked her up and hugged her earlier in the year — said she had told her boyfriend about the incident. Police interviewed him at the school a day later, according to the complaint.

The boyfriend told police the girl was “visibly upset and shaking” as she described the incident. He told her to tell another teacher, according to the complaint. That teacher told police she had been approached by the girl and her boyfriend, and said she reported the allegations to ChildLine, the state hotline for reports of suspected child abuse.

Finch is listed on Fels’ website as a social studies teacher; it is unclear how long he has worked for the Philadelphia School District. Finch has been reassigned pending the investigation and “will not have contact with students during the period of reassignment,” according to Christina Clark, a district spokesperson.

“The School District of Philadelphia takes the safety and well-being of all students placed in our care very seriously. Any behavior that violates that trust is unacceptable,” Clark said in a statement to The Inquirer Monday. “The District is working in full cooperation with law enforcement officials.”

Reached by phone Monday, Finch declined to comment. He was charged with a felony offense of unlawful contact with a minor, along with lesser charges of corruption of minors, indecent assault, and harassment, and was released on Dec. 13 after posting 10% of his $100,000 bail.

Staff writer Max Marin contributed to this article.