By John Tozzi
School officials learned of the misconduct in May 2005 after the student told a school psychologist that she was pregnant with the child of Jared Hunter, a 27-year-old paraprofessional at MS 74 on Oceania Street in Bayside, according to the report. Hunter was reassigned to the Region 3 Operations Center when the investigation began in May and has since been fired, according to the Department of Education.”After Student A turned 17 years old, Hunter began a sexual relationship with her,” according to a Nov. 10, 2005 report from Richard Condon, the special commissioner for schools investigation, to Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein.In interviews with school investigators, both Hunter, now 28, and the girl, whose name is being withheld, said she had “made advances toward him” that Hunter initially resisted. But after the student turned 15 and went to high school, the two began dating, according to the report.The two also told investigators they did not have sex until the student turned 17, the age of consent in New York, according to the letter. The two had planned to marry and move to Maryland, but the student ended the relationship after finding out that Hunter had cheated on her, investigators said.During their relationship, Hunter sent the student money, sneakers and clothes for her unborn child, according to the report. The student gave birth to Hunter's daughter and gave the child his last name, the letter said.Hunter could not be reached for comment.A DOE spokesman confirmed that Hunter had been fired and placed on the ineligible list, meaning he cannot be hired by the department in the future.In initial interviews with investigators from the Special Commissioner's office, which is separate from the DOE, both Hunter and the student denied that he was the child's father, and Hunter even offered to take a DNA test, investigators said. But later, the student said her daughter was Hunter's child, and Hunter “admitted that she 'probably' was his child,” according to the report.Hunter told investigators that he knew his relationship was “wrong” and wanted to end it, the report said. But the breaking point appeared to be when the student told school authorities about it.”According to Hunter, one reason he cheated on Student A was her report about their relationship to the psychologist…which caused problems for him,” the report said.Reach reporter John Tozzi by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300 Ext. 188.
