Ridgewood Teacher Accused of Shoplifting Not Facing Suspension
Village police say Adolfo Noya, a middle school Spanish teacher, walked out of Whole Foods without paying the $82.30 bill.
A Ridgewood middle school teacher accused of stealing $82 worth of grocery items will not be suspended while awaiting his day in court, according to the school district.
Adolfo Noya, 47 of Wyckoff, entered the Godwin Avenue Whole Foods on Oct. 25, where a security guard observed him load 15 items into a canvas tote bag before exiting without paying, police said Monday.
Store employees stopped Noya in the parking lot at around 5 p.m. where police arrived and arrested the 7th grade George Washington Middle School teacher on charges of shoplifting.
The total value of the alleged theft – including the $7 tote bag – is $82.30, Ridgewood Police Cpt. Jacqueline Luthcke told Patch Monday afternoon. It mostly contained food items, she added.
Noya, who has taught Spanish in Ridgewood since 2000, will not be suspended before his court date, Ridgewood superintendent Daniel Fishbein said in a written statement.
Fishbein said he could not speak on the specific case due to personnel matters being confidential, but said the district will wait for the legal process to run its course.
"Allegations or accusations made against any person are not the same as findings of guilt," Fishbein said, speaking generally about the process. "When and if guilt is determined or someone’s presence is a detraction to the educational process and action is necessary, please be assured all necessary statutes and codes will be followed.”
Noya also could not be reached for comment Monday. School records show the native of Spain is scheduled to make a salary of $87,435 in the current school year.
The teacher's court date was rescheduled from Nov. 15 to Jan. 3.
In This article
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Whole Foods Market
44 Godwin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ -
George Washington Middle School
155 Washington Pl, Ridgewood, NJ -
Ridgewood Police Department
131 N Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ (Second Floor)
VKC
12:20 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Dear Mr. Noya,
Please understand that you have to pay the Whole bill before exiting shopping establishments with goods.
Harvey
1:02 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2013
Certainly a lot of Wholes making comments on this page. A Wholes. How do we know what the real story is here? So fast to shoot, ask questions later.
elknu nek
1:53 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
What was the school lesson for Mr. Noya today?
Great example the Kids. What's Next?
RidgewoodResident
2:14 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Relax, innocent until proven guilty is the law of this country. I'm sure the schools will respond to the situation after he's had his day in court.
Mikka H
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Ridgewood teachers are compensated at an astronomical scale and this guy finds it
ness. to steal his groceries??????
Patti
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Mikka I wouldn't say an "astronomical" scale. Yes, if you work in the schools as a teacher after 20+ years you make a livable wage.
KTitan
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
I agree with VKC and elknu nek! If it were you or me we would be on suspension without pay!!
Patti
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Linda C: It depends where you work; union or not; He is innocent until proven guilty.
SR res
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Dios Mio!
John Hahn
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
It is a good lesson for all.
We do live under innocent until proven guilty. I believe we should abide by it.
I learned that there is a security guard at Whole Foods.
If he does lose his position then the students will see actions do have consequences.
BTW $87.4K to teach Spanish from Sept to June with time off for holidays, etc. + benefits seems like a good deal.
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
GOOD DEAL OR OVERPAID????????
Inigo de Loyola
8:49 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Rosetta Stone sounds like an even better idea....
Brian
9:12 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
But how do you sit in Spanish class today and take the guy seriously? I mean we gave our teachers lots of crap in 7th grade and they were not arrested for shoplifting organic produce from the local Whole Foods. How embarrassing. I know what words I would be asking to have translated today. Como se dece "security guard?"
Lisa Ciolino Ambrose
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Perhaps our teachers were accused of such things but we didn't have the same access to media as we do now to know about it.
JAFO
9:12 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
This innocent until proven guilty crap should not be applicable when you are caught red handed!
Raul
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
JAFO, if the evidence is strong, for instance "caught red handed", then that is proof by which a jury will likely convict, if it goes to trial. So, you haven't contradicted the rule. But perhaps you're are really saying he should be convicted without a trial. And most if not all cases are resolved without a trial, by pleading guilty, especially in those cases where he is "caught red handed". So what exactly is the "crap"?
thetentman
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
JAFO, you are a bigger fool than I had realized. Please if you don't like innocent until proven guilty then you could move to Russia or Cuba. You would like it. You can get sent away for anti govt sentiments and you don't even have to steal. I am sure you would fit right in.
Patti
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
JAFO - it's not crap - its the USA
Craig Hueneke
10:23 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
JAFO..So you're saying that a security guard at Whole Foods and the local police officer should be the Judge, Jury and Executioner? All due respect to the security guard, and the local police, but ahhhh... NO THANKS! I'd rather have my day in court before a jury thank you!
BTW JAFO you may want to look into relocating to Communist China. I think you would fit in good there! Argh!
jp1
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
If he is found guilty he should be fired.
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
IF HE IS CAUGHT OUTSIDE WITH GROCERIES FROM WHOLE FOODS THAT WERE NOT PAID FOR;
THIS IS GUILTY TO ME;
LOCK HIM UP AND FIRE HIM;
I AM SURE THERE ARE UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS TO FILL THE POSITION AT A POSSIBLE ENTRY LEVEL RATE;
JUSTICE IS SERVED AND THE RIDGEWOOD TAXPAYERS GET SOME SOLACE!
Mezzo, etc.
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Wasn't there some public media figure urging people to steal from Whole Foods recently? I think it had something to do with the 99% movement . . . who was that? Can't remember now . . . anyway, wondering if this was a political/economic statement connected to that . . . I mean, why WOULD someone who makes a decent salary steal food, otherwise? I think there may be more to this story than meets the "ojo." (And, just for the record, $87K is a perfectly reasonable teacher's salary, not "astronomical." That someone would deem it so shows how little respect we have for teachers in our society these days. Would you think $87K was too much to pay a lawyer or a doctor or a stockbroker or CEO? Who deserves to be compensated well for their hard work? All of them do, but ESPECIALLY teachers who are helping to raise our youth to be educated citizens who can use their minds to contribute to their world. People don't seem to have any grasp of how hard teachers work. They should try it sometime.) All this being said, if this does turn out to have been simple petty thievery, then this man does not understand that part of his job is to set an example of good citizenship for his students in addition to teaching them Spanish, and I am saddened by his lack of conscience.
Ridgewood Mom
8:09 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Not that I disagree with statements up above about a teacher setting a bad example if they shoplift, but would it be argued that a lawyer or doctor or stock broker get fired from their job if they were caught shoplifting at a store unrelated to their workplace? It will always seem odd to me to see people expect so much more from teachers then they do from persons in other professions, and then turn around and suggest that they are overpaid.
jp1
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
JAFO , seems to me you do not like our legal system. If he is found guilty he should be fired.
Ridgewooder
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
People should pay for things and not steal them.
Quantanya Richardson
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Ridgewood teachers are compensated at an astronomical scale? Are you serious? Ever teach? Ever spend time in a middle school? They can't pay these guys enough for doingwhat they do...stop teacher-bashing, so sick of it!
Ellen
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The kids are joking about getting Señor Noya Whole Foods gift cards for Christmas! Brian is right - our kids are very well aware of what is going on and there's no way they're taking him seriously in class. Btw - all the emails about guys luring kids 2 towns away, don't you think the parents of kids who have the guy for class could have been sent an email, so as to be prepared for the questions when our kids came home from school?? Love being blind-sided....
jp1
3:25 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Some of us it seems do not believe in the rule of law, maybe just take him out and hang him.
John Hahn
10:14 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Good point, Ridgewood Mom.
Craig Hueneke
10:53 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Ridgewood Mom- First off.... you seriously need to take a deep breath. Every-time someone criticizes a teacher on here you get all "uppity".
Second, a lawyer, doctor or stock broker are not teachers! A teacher's responsibility is to inform and educate their students and the best way to do that is to INSPIRE the students and motivate them, and the best way to do that is to lead by example.
Ah you may want to also read the NY Time or WSJ a little more often. There are plenty of lawyers, doctors, stock brokers that have been canned for their actions outside of the office. In fact, I had worked for a number of large law firms that had a "morals clause" in their employment contracts that stated that if you are found guilty of ANY crime outside of your scope of employment the firm has the absolute authority to terminate you with no recourse of the employee. And I have seen them invoke it a number of times.
Doctor's and Stock Brokers are no different. It seems that the only ones that can get away with crap like this are the politicians..
Ridgewood Mom
12:00 pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
I'm not sure that you understood my point Craig.
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
SO CRAIG; YOUR POINT ISTHE LAMEST DRIBBLE I HAVE HEARD YET;
THIS "TEACHER" IS A CRIMINAL;
AND IF YOU DO NOT SEE THAT THEN YOU ARE A MORON;
HOW IS THAT FOR UPPITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU STEAL;
GUITY;
FIRED;
DOCTORS; LAWYERS; INDIAN CHIEF'S;
NO EXCEPTIONNS.............................
T. Powers
1:56 pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Of course stealing is wrong, but "let the punishment fit the crime" is in order here. It is perplexing, but there are many people who have compulsions that they struggle with, maybe he is one of them. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that should ruin someone's life.
E J Fritz
3:15 pm on Saturday, November 24, 2012
Game on T.powers...it's a misdemeanor crime. The only issue here is that he is a teacher.
YOSEMITE SAM
9:04 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
MORE TEACHER TENURE SCAM;
THE REGULAR SHMO WOULD BE SUSPENDED "WITHOUT" PAY;
THEN TERMINATED;
NO DEFENSE HERE; ALL PREMEDITATED;
SCHOOL BOARD WILL COME UP WITH SOME BS REASON AND LET HIM OFF;
THEN EVERYONE SHOULD SHOPLIFT GROCERIES WHO DON'T MAKE $87.000.00 A YEAR THEN SUE FOR DISCRIMINATION WHEN THEY ARE FOUND TO BE NOT A TEACHER!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOLLOW THIS ONE....................
YOSEMITE SAM
9:04 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
RIDGEWOOD MOM:
ARE YOU FOR REAL;
YOU STEAL; YOU ARE GUILTY; YOU ARE FIRED; YOU ARE LOCKED UP;
DOCTOR; LAWYER; INDIAN CHIEF;
AND YOU FOR YOUR PATHETIC "REASONING"..................
Sue
2:20 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012
This is ridiculouss that these God foresaken teacher's unions protect the teachers who steal, cheat, come to school after drinking alcocholic drinks etc etc. They are caught, their hands are slapped, the union will get them out of trouble and will save their job and so on. Get rid of the union,treat these teachers like employee in the business world, and let's see how long they last in their job, not long.
its like that
9:53 am on Sunday, December 2, 2012
i agree with Sue. There is no reason to have a teachers union. No one has said the teachers work is easy or not vital. Teachers are educated professionals with very important jobs. That said , things have shifted so far the other way for the teachers it is crazy. Teachers have more perks than any other professional group and have more time off in a year than most professionals take in 5 yrs.They have the shortest workday possible. Yes, I understand they may work a few hours at home weekends or evenings with lesson plans(mostly early in their careers..then its by rote) and certainly grading takes time (although I doubt that most put in the time that is really needed to critique/grade correctly) but every professional I know first works a 10hr day (and often much much more) then comes home and also puts in a few hours at night, weekends and holidays. Of yeah most professionals also put in these same hours from late June to mid August also with maybe one week of vacation thrown in there.
I respect teachers but the pendulum has swung way the other way .
I feel bad for this teacher...his money woes could be for a million different reasons (just like all of us) or he may have no money issues and be suffering from mental disease. In any case he was caught red handed and no longer can possibly have the respect or attention from the classroom. If by some miracle he is found not guilty I would certainly welcome him back
jp1
1:56 pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Ridgewood Mom maybe not overpaid but probably still a thief.
Ridgewood Mom
7:30 pm on Saturday, November 24, 2012
Maybe. And teachers may even be overpaid, depending on what we expect to get from them.
I only said that there was an inconsistency, in comments above, between thinking that we should expect a higher moral standard for teachers than we would for many other professions (and I think, perhaps, that we SHOULD expect such a higher standard), and the suggestion, also in comments above, that teachers are overpaid.
Bill Porterfield
4:35 pm on Friday, November 30, 2012
it is incredibly rare that i agree with Ridgewood Mom, but i do this time. If guilty, he should be pay whatever the penalty. But it's a misdemeanor that doesnt involve his job or children. I dont think he should lose his job over it.
Ridgewood Mom
6:00 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2012
;)
barbara
2:24 am on Saturday, November 24, 2012
What kind of intelligence can this teacher have that he didn't even think that he should probably not shoplift from the store in the same town where he is employed as a teacher.....I mean at least go to Paramus Whole Foods to shoplift. It's the ol saying....you never s--- where you sleep. He should be put on unpaid leave until his JANUARY court date which is what would happen to a police officer in the same situation. Taxpayers should demand accountability.
Jon
10:03 am on Saturday, November 24, 2012
I can't begin to imagine what's going wrong for this 47 year old man to risk throwing away his career for $87..There obviously is a lot more to the story, and we will never know it, just doesn't make sense..whatever it is stealing isn't the answer
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
THATS EASY
TENURE SCAM;
THINKS HE IS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE A TEACHER;
longtimer66
10:03 am on Saturday, November 24, 2012
Agree with Craig and some others here. As a small biz owner, when we do projects for many higher-profile clients, I must often sign agreements that state if I or any employee on the project is formally charged with a big variety of offenses, the client can either withhold payment and/or cancel the contract, in some cases paying for work done to that point- and in some cases, not.
Big firms often make smaller vendors sign such things -- if you don't, you won't get the gig. Often these clauses refer to things that have nothing at all to do with the work involved on the project. However, clients view it as going to character and insist on such language quite often.
These contracts usually state that if CONVICTED, the client has to pay nothing and has all rights to any work done to that point as well. But just for being CHARGED, many rather drastic things can happen-- even if later the outcome is not guilty. Theft of any kind is a very typical item in such contracts, and there are usually many others too.
A teacher in this situation should be suspended without pay until the conclusion of a hearing. Otherwise you are sending a message to students and the community that --at least to me-- is the wrong one.
After all, as a biz owner, that's what I have to agree to if I want to get projects from many larger companies- so do all competitors. So it does not seem unfair to me to hold a teacher to the same (or even higher) standards.
Walter Tuers
12:35 pm on Sunday, November 25, 2012
WOW! What a prime example of the public jumping to a conclusion and prejudging an individual based upon a report.
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
AS I SAID BEFORE TENNURE BULLSHIT
NJEA A WING OF ORGANIZED CRIME
IF IT WAS A STUDENT PROBABLY SUSPENDED
YOSEMITE SAM
9:05 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
THIS WING NUT IS A CRIMINAL; GO UNPUNISHED WHAT IS TO STOP HIM FROM ROBBING THE SCHOOL;
HE IS A THEIF LETTING HIM OFF SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE TO ALL STUDENTS
thetentman
11:27 am on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Yosemite Sam, either you're caps lock is on or you are just a doofus. Oh yeah start taking you're meds again.
YOSEMITE SAM
10:43 am on Friday, April 12, 2013
I knew from day one her would not be suspended; its the tenure scam; anyone else caught; big fine ; possible jail time ; possible community service; there real issue here is preferential treatment towards "teachers".........