TRENTON — Some of them may have avoided prison, but these disgraced educators will never teach in this state again.

The State Board of Examiners last month revoked the certificates of several teachers, some of whom were convicted of sexual crimes involving students and children. The board regulates teaching credentials in the state.

Here is a look at some of the cases.

Chelsea Hahn

Chelsea Hahn, a former Ewing teacher, was convicted of child endangerment. (via Twitter/Goodreads)
Chelsea Hahn, a former Ewing teacher, was convicted of child endangerment. (via Twitter/Goodreads)
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Hahn, 26, was an English teacher at Ewing High School when she was accused in June 2018 with sending a nude photo of herself to a 17-year-old student and asking him to have sex. She was charged with three counts of second-degree child endangerment.

In June, she pleaded guilty and was accepted into the court's pre-trial intervention program, which will allow her to avoid prison and a criminal record if she stays out of trouble for three years and completes 40 hours of community service.

Part of the deal was that she had to give up her teaching certificate, which the board revoked last month.


Philip D. Cerone

Phillip Cerone was a South Hackensack teacher's aide who was charged with sexually assaulting a girl. (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)
Phillip Cerone was a South Hackensack teacher's aide who was charged with sexually assaulting a girl. (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)
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Cerone, 29, pleaded guilty in May to fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

The South Hackensack district teacher's aide was charged in 2017 with second-degree sexual assault of a girl, and second- and third-degree child endangerment.

He was sentenced to five years of probation and agreed to give up his K-5 elementary certificate, which was revoked last month.


Thomas Weir

Thomas Weir was sentenced to three years in prison for soliciting sex from students. (NJ Department of Corrections)
Thomas Weir was sentenced to three years in prison for soliciting sex from students. (NJ Department of Corrections)
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Weir, 56, was convicted in December of third-degree criminal attempt of sexual conduct with child, third-degree child endangerment and third-degree prostitution. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

The Paterson high school teacher was charged in 2013 with trying to pay a 7th grade student $50 to have sex with him. He also was charged with sending sexual messages to two other students, all through Facebook.

The state revoked his K-8 teacher, accounting teacher, principal, chief school administrator and school business administrator certificates.


Paul J. Iantosca

Paul Iantosca, a former Denville middle school principal, was convicted of trying to have sex with a student. (Facebook)
Paul Iantosca, a former Denville middle school principal, was convicted of trying to have sex with a student. (Facebook)
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Iantosca, 52, was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty in July to fourth-degree child abuse.

The Denville middle school principal, who liked to give his personal phone number out to students, was accused of trying to have sex with a former student who was underage. He was arrested in May.

Prosecutors said he sent the student messages on Snapchat but the student turned him into police who busted him in a parking lot.

The board revoked his K-8 teacher, principal, supervisor and chief school administrator certificates.


Bernard E. Gmitter Jr.

Gmitter, 67, was accused last year of sending inappropriate messages to a female student.

The Seneca High School junior ROTC leader in the Lenape Regional School District was charged with fourth-degree engaging in prostitution and cyber harassment through lewd, indecent or obscene material.

He agreed to give up his certificate in military science, which was revoked.

Information on the status of his criminal case wasn't available on Saturday.


James Dunckley

Dunckley was never charged with a crime but he was fired by the Rockaway Township school district in 2015 after numerous girls complained over the years about him touching them inappropriately.

Dunckley denied the charges and unsuccessfully appealed an arbitrator's decision upholding his termination. He noted in his answer to the Board of Examiners that the Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit of the Department of Children and Families had found the allegations against him to be unfounded and that he had 37 years of service. He also noted that other students testified that they had never been touched by Dunckley.

Using the Superior Court's appellate decision from last year, the Board of Examiners last month revoked Dunckley's certificates that allowed him to teach elementary and handicapped students

According to the tenure charges, a student in the 2014-15 school year said he touched her thigh, shoulder, back and chest. The tenure charges said that the girl told him to stop but he continued to touch her shoulder, collarbone and back. The tenure charges said that Dunckley told the girl's mother that she was “different than other kids, more mature and is a buddy.” The girl ended up suffering anxiety attacks, officials said.

Another girl said that Dunckley touched her while the class watched movies or when she was at the computer. She said that she told him to stop but he continued. The same student said that her classmates tried to keep their eyes on Dunckley because they suspected him of staring at them.

School officials said that they had previously admonished Dunckley during the 2009-10 school year after two girls reported that he had touched their hair, shoulders, arms and backs after they had told him to stop. The girls were removed from his class.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-359-5348 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.

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