How was she allowed to return? A New York school principal who had “sexual contact” with a student in class was hired to lead the Long Island school 15 years later… then abruptly disappeared when an old scandal came to light

A former Long Island teacher who resigned after having an “inappropriate relationship” with a student in 2006 was hired as a school principal decades later after lying about her teaching credentials.

Jessica Bader, 51, worked as a teacher in the early 2000s but resigned after her teaching certificates were suspended because she an “inappropriate relationship” with a student at East Meadow High School in Long Island, where she taught.

The relationship lasted from 2004 to 2005 — during the student's junior and senior years, according to legal documents.

Documents revealed that Bader's relationship with the male student involved “physical, intimate and/or sexual contact, inappropriate communication and/or inappropriate correspondence.”

Bader was never criminally charged because the student was over 18 years old, had reached the legal age of majority, and the detective overseeing the case decided no crime had been committed.

More than 15 years later, Bader applied for a job at Oyster Bay-East Norwich in Long Island, New York. When she applied for the OBEN job – Bader left out her stint at East Meadow from the paperwork – and when asked if her teaching certificate had ever been suspended, she incorrectly answered no

Her defense was based on the consensual nature of her relationship with the student, his age and her experience with postpartum depression after recently giving birth to twins.

According to legal documents, Bader “did not appear to experience any emotional or psychological harm to the student as a result of her conduct as she addressed the reasons why her interactions with the student were inappropriate.”

Bader submitted her resignation by letter in 2005 and her teaching certificates were suspended for a period of four years.

More than 15 years later, Bader applied for a job at Oyster Bay-East Norwich in Long Island, New York.

Somehow, Bader was hired by another school district between her 2006 scandal and her most recent appointment. She worked at George J. Ryan Middle School in Queens for nine years.

When she applied for the job at OBEN — Bader had her stint at East Meadow left out of the paperwork — and when asked if her teaching certificate had ever been suspended, she incorrectly said no.

Bader was originally hired as a teacher but was promoted to principal in the 2023/2024 school year.

After her abrupt resignation, an investigation uncovered the decade-old scandal and members of the OBEN community are feeling unsettled

“With the school year officially underway, students at James H. Vernon School were greeted by someone new as they arrived for the first day of classes,” an Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District announcement said.

“Jessica Bader, the former director of humanities for kindergarten through 12th grade in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District, welcomed the students as Vernon's new principal.”

“Bader previously spent nine years as assistant principal at George J. Ryan Middle School 216 in Manhattan and joined OBEN last year to take over the role of director of humanities K-12.”

'She's very friendly and conscientious and very excitable, which is great; Half of this job is being passionate about the kids,” said Laurie Kowalsky, president of OBEN’s BOE.

Just weeks after taking on her new role, a statement to parents revealed that Bader will be “away from the building for some time.”

After her abrupt dismissal – an research revealed the decade-old scandal and members of the OBEN community are feeling unsettled.

'They are reliable, responsible individuals. That doesn't always work, so that means the schools really have to do their homework,” says parent Gloria McCain.