CLEARFIELD – A LaJose woman accused of inappropriate behavior while working as a substitute teacher at the Clearfield County Career & Technology Center was sentenced Tuesday during plea and sentencing court.
Darice J. Brady-McKee, 35, 2038 Five Points Rd., LaJose, was originally charged with two felony counts of dissemination explicit sexual material to minors and 30 counts of corruption of minors. Students said she talked about her sexual encounters, displayed part of her breast and legs and showed other students naked photos of a man.
Brady-McKee pleaded guilty to one count of corruption of minors Tuesday. She was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to three years probation and was fined $350 plus costs. She was ordered to have no contact with the victims.
Two administrators for the CCCTC are charged in connection with this case for not reporting the incidents to authorities. William H. Weaver, 55, 152 Lighthouse Ln., Bellefonte, was the executive director of the CCCTC and Cathy M. Thomas, 62, 274 Saint Agnes Dr., Morrisdale, was the assistant director at the time of the incidents. Both have since resigned their positions.
Weaver and Thomas are charged with failure to report or refer and disorderly conduct. Weaver has also signed a plea agreement and is scheduled to be sentenced in April. The Thomas case is still pending.
During Brady-McKee’s preliminary hearing, nine female students testified in the hearing regarding their experiences with her.
A West Branch student testified that she was a student when Brady-McKee was the substitute teacher for the class. She said a few of the girls were discussing boys when Brady-McKee jumped in and said she had “guys on the side.”
She explained she kept two cell phones, using one just for her boyfriends. Brady-McKee also showed the girls photos of naked men on her cell phone and asked if they had any photos of boys to show her. After she saw the first photo, this student said, “I walked away from the conversation.”
This student reported it the next day when the regular teacher returned. This teacher then told Weaver, who was then the assistant director.
Two other students corroborated this story.
A Moshannon Valley student said in early 2015 Brady-McKee told a group of students that she smoked marijuana and could get it for them. She said it wouldn’t hurt them adding that she smoked it around her own children. This student later told both Weaver and Thomas about this, she said.
A Curwensville girl testified that when Brady-McKee was the substitute in her class she talked about a sexual encounter she had over the weekend. She even pulled her shirt down to expose bruising on her breast as a result of this encounter.
She also showed bruises on her legs and said her back hurt because of the position they used when they had sex in her car. This student said she reported this to her regular teacher and she thought other students did the same.
Another student told a similar story and said she reported this to Weaver, who told her she would never see Brady-McKee again. Later Brady-McKee was back but substituting in a different class.
Another West Branch student testified that she and her friends were discussing going on vacation. Brady-McKee, who was substituting in this class, told the students she could supply them with marijuana and alcohol on their trip
A Philipsburg student testified that Brady-McKee talked multiple times about her husband and their sex life. This girl told the same story regarding Brady-McKee getting caught with her boyfriend and running to the bathroom.
This student also stated that Brady-McKee offered to help a group book a hotel room for a vacation and said she would bring marijuana and alcohol for them. This student claimed Brady-McKee told them she had oral sex with the boys in the Automotive Mechanics program.
During cross examination from Gary Knaresboro, Brady-McKee’s attorney, this girl admitted that she thought Brady-McKee was joking when she said she would get marijuana and alcohol for them.
Officer Zachary S. Cowan of the Lawrence Township police testified that he responded to a complaint in May from the mother of a student regarding the behavior of a substitute teacher. The teacher had made sexual comments in March and now she was back. This mother pulled her daughter from the class. The previous incidents had already been reported to the administration.
Cowan spoke with a total of 32 students who reported something they had personally heard or witnessed. He has written statements from each of them, he said.
When he spoke with Brady-McKee at the police station she said the offer to buy marijuana and alcohol was a joke. She told him the students would come to her for advice and claimed she only talked about sex when they brought it up.