City teacher accused of having sex with student

A teacher at Ethan Allen Elementary, a public school in Mayfair, is accused of having sex with one of her students.

Stephanie Amato, 30, surrendered to authorities on Wednesday, a police spokeswoman said.

Police Officer Jillian Russell said that Amato, who was awaiting arraignment on Wednesday afternoon, is charged with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, interference with custody of children, endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of a minor, indecent assault and indecent exposure.

One of Amato's male students reported having sex with his teacher on "several occasions," Russell said.

Fernando Gallard, a spokesman for the Philadelphia School District, said that allegations were first made to the school, whose officials notified city and school police. Amato was removed from the school pending an investigation, and barred from having contact with students.

She is currently suspended with pay, Gallard said, but after an administrative hearing next week could lose her pay.

Tasha Jamerson, spokeswoman for District Attorney Seth Williams, said in a release that Amato "engaged in 'consensual' sex" with the boy at her home and in her car "on multiple occasions between March and April of this year."

Amato is an eighth-grade special education teacher with six years teaching experience.

A school source said the boy who had the alleged relationship with Amato was 14 and received special education services. When his father discovered the relationship, he pulled the boy from Ethan Allen.

Amato can be seen on her Facebook page mugging with young men.

"My fav students!!" a picture posted yesterday reads.

"Fun with these kids!" appears with another photo posted on Tuesday. In that photo, she appears to be in a car with several young men.

It wasn't immediately clear who was representing Amato, or what her response to the charges was.