Teacher of more than 20 years arrested for alleged unwanted touching and kissing of an underaged student
Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced today that a former Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free School District music teacher was arrested on charges alleging unwanted touching and kissing of an underaged student in June at Hastings High School.
DA Rocah said: “The alleged actions of this defendant, a long-time teacher, exploited the trust placed in him by the school, parents, students and community when he allegedly sexually abused a student. We commend the brave young victim for coming forward.”
The defendant, Michael Rubino, 63 of Hartsdale, a music teacher at Hastings public schools for more than 20 years, was arrested by the District Attorney’s Office criminal investigators and arraigned today before Judge Peter Kolbert in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Justice Court on charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, both misdemeanors, and Harassment in the Second Degree, a violation.
Bail was set at $7,000 cash / $25,000 bond / $50,000 partially secured bond at 10%.
The defendant is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 18.
According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 10:15 a.m. on June 10, the defendant took the student to the school auditorium where he pulled the student behind the curtains and hugged and kissed the student without their consent. After allegedly rubbing the student’s back and kissing the student’s cheek and neck, the defendant tried to kiss the student on the lips.
The student immediately reported the incident to a teacher who notified the administration the same day.
The district reported the incident to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department, which referred the case to the District Attorney’s Office, and placed the defendant on administrative leave pending the DA’s Office criminal investigation.
The defendant retired from the district in July 2024.
Anyone who may have been victimized or may have information about other possible victims of the defendant can contact the DA’s Office Special Prosecutions Division at (914) 995- 3000. Language assistance is available.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Baehr of the Child Abuse Bureau in the Special Prosecutions Division.
