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Jorge A. Bonilla, a teacher at Cambridge’s immersion K-8 Amigos School, pleaded not guilty to nine charges of sexual assault in Middlesex Superior Court on Monday after being indicted by a grand jury in February.
CPS Superintendent Victoria L. Greer notified all CPS schools of the indictment in an email last Wednesday. She wrote that Bonilla had been placed on administrative leave and was “not a CPS employee when the alleged assault occurred.”
The indictment, submitted by assistant District Attorney Maren M. Schrader on Feb. 16, accused Bonilla of sexually assaulting two girls in 2013 and 2014, prior to his employment at Cambridge Public Schools.
Bonilla met one of the girls when he was a junior teacher in 2013 at a summer camp and she was a student. They began to date in September, when she was a freshman and he was a senior in high school. According to the indictment, he first assaulted her the following summer when he was 18 years old.
Bonilla was also accused of assaulting the girl’s sister in 2014 when she was eight or nine years old, according to the indictment.
Bonilla’s lawyers did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Sujata Wycoff, the CPS spokesperson, wrote in a statement that “the district’s employment process includes criminal record checks, and the National Criminal Background Fingerprint check in addition to personal and professional references, educational, and employment background checks.”
Amigos parents received a separate email from Principal Sarah B. Marrero minutes prior to Greer’s CPS-wide announcement.
Both Greer and Marrero wrote that their “highest priority is the safety of our students and supporting their emotional, mental, and physical well-being.”
According to Wycoff, “our social workers and counseling team have mobilized to support any student, staff member, or family impacted by the news for as long as needed.”
Bonilla’s scheduling conference is scheduled for April 22. The case will be prosecuted by the Middlesex District Attorney.
—Staff writer Darcy G Lin can be reached at darcy.lin@thecrimson.com.
—Staff writer Emily T. Schwartz can be reached at emily.schwartz@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @EmilySchwartz37.
