Suspended teacher's students defend her

Published in the Asbury Park Press 5/30/02
By ANDREA ALEXANDER
and NANCY SHIELDS
STAFF WRITERS
OCEAN TOWNSHIP -- Young people, both her students and neighbors' children, consider Long Branch High School English teacher Lisandra Zingaro a friend and someone to trust.

"She is a counseling teacher," said Yamillet Correa, 16. "Whatever you told her was just between you and her. She helped everyone. She especially helped girls when we needed it."

When Yamillet had a family problem she needed to talk about with someone, her sister, a former student, recommended Zingaro. And neighborhood children felt comfortable in her house, with one calling her a "second mother."

Authorities offer a darker image of what they say took place in her home. She was charged Tuesday with possession of cocaine after a group of juveniles gathered Friday night at her house. She and a 14-year-old boy were taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center for evaluation after an anonymous call to 911 Saturday afternoon.

But having children gather in the house was common, neighbors on Appleby Drive said.

Zingaro, 31, has two children. 13 and 12, and welcomed their friends into her home. She hosted sleepover parties and would buy pizza for the children, neighbors said.

The mother of the 14-year-old boy, whose name is being withheld by police because of his age, said in a telephone interview that her son is a friend of Zingaro's children and that's why he was at her home.

Authorities said Zingaro and the boy, a Long Branch High School student, shared cocaine Friday night through a rolled-up dollar bill.

However, the boy's mother, while admitting her son was given cocaine and tried it, said he did not use it in the teacher's house.

'An awesome person'

Zingaro's son's friends said they hung out at her house every day. One called her "an awesome person."
"She wouldn't do anything to her hurt anyone," said Joe Pemberton, 13. "She never yells at us even when we play basketball in front of the house late at night. She has sleepovers and buys us pizza. She is like a second mom."

Pemberton said he was playing with Zingaro's son outside the house during the gathering Friday night. He said everything appeared normal inside the house.Zingaro was home yesterday but did not answer the door. In the afternoon, she put a note on her door that said, "Please leave us alone, no trespassing."

She then called from an open window, asking reporters to leave. She said she could not talk "because of all of the lies" being said about her.

Neighbors who she let visit yesterday said she was extremely upset. They said she was a good person who had not been convicted of anything.

"She was as loving a mother as you would ever find," said her neighbor, Henry Johannensen, who cared for her two children after the police took Zingaro to the hospital.

"She was a wonderful person. She was the type who would do anything for others," he said.

Reza Ardakanian of Ocean Township, whose mother and sister live across the street from Zingaro, is a frequent visitor to the neighborhood. He called the arrests "sad," saying, "Teen-agers always need guidance, and teachers should be people we can trust."

Police went to the house after receiving an anonymous 911 call that reported a woman at Zingaro's address may have attempted suicide. Both the boy and Zingaro were taken to the hospital but police said there had not been a suicide attempt. They said, however, the boy had written a note saying he was contemplating suicide.

Charges filed

Zingaro was released from the hospital Tuesday night. The 14-year-old boy was released over the holiday weekend and will be placed on home instruction pending further action because of his criminal charges, said Long Branch Superintendent of Schools Joseph Ferraina.
Zingaro has been charged with possession of cocaine. The boy will be charged with cocaine possession, possession with intent to distribute and distribution, said police Detective Lt. Antonio Amodio.

Lawyer Michael Halfacre said he met with Zingaro for the first time yesterday and is "advising her at this point."

"All I can say is don't believe everything you read in the paper," Halfacre said. "We absolutely intend to plead not guilty."

Authorities are trying to track down other juveniles who were at the impromptu gathering, said Amodio. The cocaine originally came from a supplier that is linked to one of the people at the party, Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye said Tuesday.

Authorities said it was the 14-year-old who distributed the cocaine at the party but the boy's mother disputed that.

"Someone else he was riding with picked up something for the teacher," she said.

Amodio said police believe they have enough evidence to charge the boy with possession and distribution in the house, whether he got the drug from someone else in the house or from somewhere the night before.

Zingaro has been separated from her husband for 1 1/2 years, Amodio said. Authorities do not know where her children are staying.

Suspended without pay

Zingaro was suspended from her job at Long Branch High School without pay, said Ferraina, superintendent of schools.
He said he knows that the law requires her to be suspended with pay but that the courts can decide the matter.

"Law requires with pay, but I suspended her without pay," Ferraina said. "Let them take me to court. We'll see what happens."

"If Mr. Ferraina thinks he doesn't have to follow the law in regard to teacher suspension, then we will see him in court," Halfacre said.

Ferraina said that if Zingaro is found guilty, she will be fired and the district will make certain she no longer has a teaching certificate.

[From The Asbury Park Press, 30 May 2002]