WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A Yonkers Middle High School physical education teacher was arrested this week for allegedly harassing a female student for months with repeated inappropriate messages and behavior, Westchester County prosecutors announced.
Matthew Hausman, 59, of Somers, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor, and two counts of second-degree harassment. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday in Yonkers City Court.
Judge Verris Shako released Hausman with non-monetary conditions, as the charges are not bail-eligible. A temporary order of protection was issued for the victim. The case was adjourned to Friday.
According to charging documents and a sworn deposition by the student, the harassment occurred between October 2024 and April 2025, both in person and through a series of messages.
In one February incident, Hausman allegedly called the student a “bitch” in his classroom while holding a dog collar and implying he wanted to put it on her. That same month, he is accused of kissing her for her birthday.
Text messages cited by the prosecution include one in January asking, “Hi are you angry with me? I felt blown off at the dance, didn’t hear from you all weekend. Am I being ‘ghosted’? Do you have a new bf and therefore avoiding me, what’s up?”
Prosecutors say other messages included suggestions that the student “looked cute” to improve her grades, comments about “sending” his wife and daughters to the victim’s father in exchange for “getting” the student, and statements such as “[n]ow I can be a stalker (if I had the time).”
In April, Hausman allegedly admitted romantic feelings to the student and acknowledged they were inappropriate. He also reportedly texted her about seeing a male classmate hug her and that the boy was no longer welcome in his classroom.
District Attorney Susan Cacace stated, “The exploitation and abuse of children, whether as alleged here or anywhere else, will never be tolerated by my administration.”
Authorities are asking anyone with relevant information to contact the Westchester DA’s Office tip line at (914) 995-TIPS (8477).
