Erie, PENNSYLVANIA

Nov 13, 2007 - Erica L. Baker, 24, (also known as Erica L. McEldowney) a student teacher at Strong Vincent High School and a substitute teacher at Pfieffer-Burleigh Elementary School, was arrested on charges that she had sexual contact with a 16-year-old female student.

Baker is accused of three counts of corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor. She was suspended today.

Nov 14 - She pleaded not guilty, according to her attorney.

[lSchool district attorney Richard] Perhacs said intimate encounters between students and teachers are on the rise, even though many of the incidents do not rise to the level of criminal activity. However, many still result in faculty terminations.

"In recent years, these cases have come to light primarily because the culture has changed, and I think people, particularly young people, affected by these types of behaviors, have become a lot more likely to come forward and tell people about them and report them," Perhacs said. "Whether they're being reported more often or occurring more often, I can't say."

Baker was recently divorced. She's been suspended without pay.
News story contains list of teacher misconduct cases.

GUILTY PLEA September 3, 2008 - Baker was pleaded guilty to one count of corruption of a minor in a plea bargain that dropped two additional corruption of a minor counts. She also agreed to give up her teaching license. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23

SENTENCED October 23 - Baker was sentenced to three months to one year in jail - not prison - to be followed by four years of probation.

Though prosecutors had said they wouldn't oppose probation, Judge John Garhart said jail was warranted because Baker was in a position of authority.

The Erie Times-News reported that both the prosecution and the defense expected probation. But the judge rejected the plea agreement.

"The thing that looms large is the court's responsibility for general deterrence," Garhart said.

He said he wants his sentence of Baker to send a message: "If a teacher gets involved with a student, jail time will be served."Garhart also said incarceration was appropriate because Baker, who was teaching at Strong Vincent High School when she met the victim, was in a position of authority when she had sex with the victim in August and September 2007 at a campground near Presque Isle State Park.

"What she did was with a protected class of person -- a minor," Garhart said.

Baker's family seemed shocked, according to the article. The judge was adamant.

The commonwealth and the defense are entitled to reach any agreement they want," he said. "In the end, the decision is mine."

Baker has surrendered her teaching license.
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ONLINE RESOURCE: The Standards and Practices Commission at the Pennsylvania Department of Education maintains online list of actions taken against teaching certificates.