ASHLAND – Former Ashland High School teacher Kim Siracuse was sentenced to 180 days in jail for assault Friday in Ashland Municipal Court, ending an 18-month court case.
Siracuse pleaded guilty last month to a first-degree misdemeanor assault charge after originally facing three counts of third-degree felony sexual battery charges in connection with an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student nearly 20 years ago. The felony charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
During Friday’s sentencing hearing, the victim addressed the court and said Siracuse targeted her when she was a freshman at Ashland High School, paying special attention to her.
“(Siracuse) singled me out. It wasn’t the kind of singling out where a good teacher recognizes that they can have a positive impact on a child,” she said.
The victim said the behavior continued to escalate, with Siracuse calling her on the phone, attending her softball games and telling her she was attracted to her.
She said the teacher threatened that if she didn’t pass Siracuse’s government class, she wouldn’t play in the state tournament or be able to graduate.
“I was trapped. It should have been one of the highlights of my life,” the woman said.
The woman said Siracuse isolated her from her friends and often initiated sexual contact.
“While my friends were celebrating graduation, I was in my teacher’s bed with my clothes off,” she said. “It was incredibly confusing and scary.”
The victim said she came forward to prevent other students from suffering through the same experience.
“I told the truth about you, like I am right now,” she said.
Two of Siracuse’s former co-workers addressed the court on her behalf and her attorney, James Mayer, told the court there were 57 character-reference letters submitted to the court highlighting Siracuse’s 24-year teaching career at Ashland High School.
Siracuse addressed the court, but did not offer any apologies.
“I will be forever thankful for the journey I experienced as a member of the Ashland High School faculty and the many opportunities I had to invest in this community,” Siracuse said. “I am also thankful that many of those students along with their parents and grandparents, local business leaders, community leaders, colleagues, university personnel, my close family and personal friends have provided to me immense support and encouragement in the past 18 months, a period of time that has been the most challenging and difficult season of my entire life.”
Mayer said Siracuse has been a law-abiding citizen for the last 20 years and posed no threat to the community.
“I find it hard to conclude that we as citizens would be safer if Ms. Siracuse served a long jail sentence,” Mayer said.
Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell deferred to the court’s judgment on sentencing.
Before handing down the sentence, Judge John Good told Siracuse she had abused her position of trust.
“People who did what you did are normally in Marysville… I feel like you should be in prison, but I don’t have the power to do that,” the judge said.
Good said there are two characterizations of Siracuse – one as a well-liked and respected teacher and the other as a “bully.”
“You have touched lives in positive ways, but you touched one in a very negative way,” Good said.
The judge said he did not believe Siracuse had accepted responsibility.
Good said he took into account the harm done to the victim when considering the sentence.
Siracuse was also fined $500 and taken into custody at the conclusion of the hearing.
Siracuse was removed from class on March 4, 2016 and arrested on Sept. 11, 2016. She resigned in October.
