“Grooming 101”: How Canzoneri Weaponized His Classroom

The SCI’s report reads like a playbook for predators. Canzoneri didn’t “cross a line”—he obliterated it. While teaching at THHS, he spent years grooming “Student G” through flirtatious Instagram DMs and texts, all while she sat in his class. Then, days after she graduated in 2015, he lured her to a colleague’s apartment, plied her with wine and weed, and escalated his abuse to sexual encounters in parks and private hideouts. Classic grooming. Textbook exploitation.

But here’s the kicker: When Student G finally reported him in 2018, terrified her younger sister would become his next target, the DOE’s response wasn’t outrage. It was apathy. The SCI demanded his firing. Instead, New York’s laughable tenure laws let him slither back into the system. Why? Because Student G—traumatized and gaslit—refused to testify in a Kafkaesque hearing. So, the DOE shrugged. Case closed.

The DOE’s Cover-Up: Paychecks Over Protection

Let’s not mince words: The DOE didn’t just fail—it enabled him. While Canzoneri lounged in a “rubber room” (a taxpayer-funded vacation for accused predators), he pocketed $135,000 a year. Then, in 2021, they quietly returned him to THHS. “Administrative role,” they claimed. Lies.

Student journalists at The Classic caught him cozying up to students in Office 544 and schmoozing at school events. Principal Brian Condon called his presence “unacceptable,” yet the DOE kept cashing his checks. Only after The Classic blew the lid off did they exile him to a desk job—still employed, still protected. This isn’t incompetence. It’s complicity.

Students vs. The System: The Kids Aren’t Alright—They’re Pissed

While adults failed, students revolted. When The Classic got its hands on the SCI report (leaked by a furious parent), they didn’t ask permission. They published. They protested. They staged a six-hour sit-in, chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, predator teachers have got to go!” Freshman Hudson Wang nailed it: “The system is broken. We’ll make the change.”

But why should teenagers have to clean up this mess? Why are students doing the DOE’s job?

The Bigger Picture: NYC Schools Are a Predator’s Playground

Let’s be clear: Canzoneri isn’t a “bad apple.” He’s one maggot in a rotting barrel. The SCI found over 100 educators accused of sexual misconduct since 2018—many still teaching, thanks to tenure. At THHS alone, three teachers dodged consequences for years:

• Thomas Sangiorgi, the chemistry creep accused of inappropriate touching.
• Edward Gruszecki, the physics teacher who posted self-harm images to traumatize students.

The SCI begged the DOE to ban teachers from texting students—a grooming gateway. The DOE’s response? A shrug and a non-binding “guideline.” Pathetic.

Demand This, Not Thoughts and Prayers

Enough with the hollow “safety committees” and empty promises. Here’s what needs to burn down:

1. Sunlight as Disinfectant: Force schools to publicly name accused teachers. No more secrets.
2. Smash Tenure Shields: If a teacher’s accused of abuse, expedite their firing. No hiding behind victims’ trauma.
3. Ban All Teacher-Student DMs: If they slide into a student’s DMs, fire them. Period.

Conclusion: The System Won’t Save You. Fight Back.

Joseph Canzoneri’s story isn’t about one predator. It’s about a system that values bureaucracy over children’s lives. To every administrator clutching tenure laws like a security blanket: We see you. To every student silenced by NDAs or fear: Scream louder.

As one THHS protester roared: “If they won’t keep us safe, we’ll keep us safe!”