5 NJ teachers accused of rape, molestation just lost their credentials
TRENTON — Five teachers lost their certificates to teach in decisions handed down this month by the state Department of Education's State Board of Examiners.
- Edmund Harman, a former teacher at the Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville who was accused of kissing and fondling a female student when she sought extra credit work in 2016, was ordered to forfeit his physical education and teaching certifications. He was sentenced in March to three years of probation.
- Neal Ziskind, who taught at the Academy for Allied Health & Biomedical Sciences, gave up his social studies teaching certification after being accused of luring and sexually assaulting a 15-tear-old girl in Bergen County. He was sentenced in March to four years in prison and must register under Megan's Law.
- Eric M. Strand, a 58-year-old retired teacher from Hopatcong Middle School accused of kissing and touching a 14-year-old student, surrendered his social studies and elementary school certificates. He was sentenced this week to three years in prison
- Michael J. Martino, a former math teacher at Hackettstown High School who has been indicted on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student, challenged the suspension of his certificate and claimed it would be an unfair form of punishment because the criminal charges have not been proven in court. The board, however, ruled that Martino's certificate would be suspended pending the outcome of his trial.
- The physical education certification of Edward Clarke, a gym teacher at School 8 in Paterson, was suspended pending a trial on charges that he had sexual contact with a 10-year-old student.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.
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