Aimee Palmitessa
Aimee Palmitessa
Dr. Aimee Palmitessa
Dr. Aimee Palmitessa (born January 9, 1972) is an American school teacher based in Los Angeles, California. She teaches chemistry at Brentwood School. [1]
Personal Life
She is married to Vicente Bruzzese. [1]
Education
Dr. Palmitessa holds a degree in biology from Syracuse University and later studied biochemistry and biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. [1] [3]
Career
She has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology and previously taught at Penn State Abington before working at Brentwood School. At Brentwood, she taught biology. [1]
In the Media
On August 18, 2017, Dr. Palmitessa was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on allegations of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student. [1] She was booked on suspicion of statutory rape, sex involving a minor, and was released on a $250,000 bail hours later. [1]
Dr. Palmitessa has been placed on administrative leave. [1]
Dr. Mike Rivera, the Head of Brentwood School, released the following statement on their website:
On Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department informed Brentwood School that Upper School teacher, Dr. Aimee Palmitessa, had been arrested on suspicion of inappropriate relations with a student and is expected to face charges.
The LAPD did not share additional information with us, such as the nature of the inappropriate relationship or the identity of the minor student.
We immediately placed Dr. Palmitessa on administrative leave.
We were shocked and distressed to receive the news of these allegations. As always, our primary concern is the safety, health, and well-being of our students. To that end, we will do everything we can to cooperate with the official police investigation. We appreciate the importance of transparency and will keep our school community informed to the extent we can given our concern for the student, as well as our respect for privacy laws and the integrity of the LAPD’s investigation. On behalf of our students and their families, we urge media and other observers to avoid posting photos that include Brentwood students who are in no way involved in these allegations. Please afford them the care and protection you would expect for your own children.
Palmitessa is expected to appear in court on September 15, 2017.
On April 19, 2019, Palmitessa was sentence to 3 years in prison; she pleaded no contest on three counts of unlawful sex with student.[15]