New York Teacher Gets Jail - Updated

(Canandaigua, New York) Former special education teacher Marla Gurecki-Haskins was sentenced earlier today to 45 days in the Ontario County Jail. She was also ordered to serve three years of probation.

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New York Teacher Guilty of Misconduct - Updated
[Previous 9/21/10 post]
(Canandaigua, New York) Former special education teacher at Canandaigua Academy, Marla Gurecki-Haskins, pleaded guilty yesterday to endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct, both misdemeanors.

In accordance with a plea deal, Gurecki-Haskins is expected to be sentenced to 45 days in jail and three years of probation. She won't be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Gurecki-Haskins had been accused of communicating with 16-year-old boys electronically — via cell phone, texts and e-mails — to encourage them to have a sexual relationship with her, police said. The original charges against her included one count of disseminating indecent material to a minor, a felony, and another count of endangering the welfare of a child.[...]

After the brief court session, her lawyer, Matt Parrinello, said she pleaded guilty to avoid the stress of a trial would cause her and her family, which includes a child with special needs.

Judge Stephen Aronson scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2011.

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New York Teacher Accused of Sexual Misconduct
[Previous 5/24/10 post]
(Canandaigua, New York) A 37-year-old special education teacher at Canandaigua Academy, Marla Gurecki-Haskins, surrendered to police this morning to face charges of sexual misconduct with students.

She faces counts of official misconduct, sending indecent materials to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police revealed some details about the charges in a press conference Monday.

They say Gurecki-Haskins used a cell phone to invite a 16-year-old male student to engage in sexual conduct and that she used other electronic communication to get in touch with another 16-year-old male student.

“Parents need to be very vigilant with e-mail communication, what websites their children are going to, and their phones. I don’t know how far-reaching this incident was. Hopefully no other students were affected, but certainly as a parent I would sit down with my child and have a candid conversation,” says Canandaigua Police Chief Jon Welch.

Police say despite the sexual contact with the 17-year-old male, they could not charge Gurecki-Haskins with rape or serious sex crimes because the age of legal consent is 17 years old in New York State.

Gurecki-Haskins was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. She was released on her own recognizance.

Tip: Chuck Simmins