Former teacher Elisa Errichiello fighting to return to classroom after child sex charges dropped

Former Rosehill Secondary College teacher Elisa Errichiello is fighting to return to the classroom after child sex abuse charges against her were sensationally dropped.

Former Melbourne teacher Elisa Errichiello wants to go back into the classroom. Picture: Ian Currie

A teacher forced from her job over historic child sex abuse allegations is fighting to return to the classroom after her charges were dropped.

Elisa Errichiello, 51, said her life has been destroyed after she was hit with 26 sexual assault offences including indecent acts and sexual penetration of a child under 16 while she was working at Catholic Regional College in Keilor Lodge in the mid-1990s.

The allegations against the former senior teacher at Rosehill Secondary College came to light after the young complainant came forward more than two decades on.

The woman, now in her late 30s, told police Ms Errichiello had sexually penetrated her in the dark room at the Catholic college and touched her breasts on a separate occasion.

The majority of charges were dropped at a committal hearing last year before prosecutors withdrew the final five charges at the County Court on Thursday.

“All of the allegations are false,” she told the Herald Sun.

Ms Errichiello, who was arrested at her home in 2020, said the charges “came out of the blue”.

Former Melbourne teacher Elisa Errichiello had all charges against her dropped. Picture: Ian Currie

“I was just in shock at first … I felt sick,” she said.

“(I thought) how can people be saying this about me?”

The former arts teacher said she never taught the complainant and denied having any kind of relationship with her.

Ms Errichiello now faces an uphill battle to return to the classroom after her teaching registration was suspended last year.

“I had a career, a really reputable career for 20 plus years,” she said.

“My name as an educator has been smeared.”

Ms Errichiello, who said she has had “amazing support” from her colleagues, believes the Education Department presumed she was guilty from the start.

“All of a sudden it was like someone just turned the switch and (my career) was gone, just by words, allegations that someone has decided to say about me … it’s just terrifying,” she said.

“I understand the Education Department has to protect children. I’ve done it my whole adult life.”

“But to lose my job. That’s not okay because I was not convicted.”

The mum of one said she continues to suffer “significant trauma” as she fights to clear her name.

“As the mother of a young child myself this has rocked the foundations of my world,” she said.

A spokesperson at the Office of Public Prosecutions told the Sunday Herald Sun: “After careful consideration, and consultation with the complainant, a determination was made not to proceed with the charges.”

The Victorian Institute of Teaching said they were unable to comment on the matter.