Ex-Woodlawn Middle School teacher sentenced to 3 years for sexually abusing a student

A Baltimore County judge on Friday ordered a former Woodlawn Middle School teacher to serve three years in prison for sexually abusing and exploiting a student — a punishment that exceeded the sentencing guidelines.

In an ideal world, Circuit Judge Dennis Robinson Jr. said, children would feel safe at home. School, he said, should be a close second.

But Sydnie Haywood engaged in conduct that not only was illegal but also violated the trust between teachers and students, Robinson said. The longer sentence had the potential to send a message to others in positions of authority, he said.

When given the opportunity to address the court, Haywood, 34, of Pikesville, expressed a desire to move forward and asked for grace. She said she took accountability for her actions.

“It is not a reflection of my character and my purpose,” Haywood said.

Deputy sheriffs immediately took Haywood into custody to begin serving her sentence on nine counts of fourth-degree sexual offense.

Following her release from prison, Haywood will have to spend five years on supervised probation. She must also register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Prosecutors reported that during the 2019-20 school year, Haywood, a Spanish teacher, asked to follow the student on Instagram. They later started socializing, and there was “some form of sexual interaction” 90% of the time, prosecutors said.

At the time, the student was between 14 and 16.

Baltimore County Public Schools launched an internal investigation and concluded that Haywood was “no longer eligible for employment.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Kayla York said the student could not endure the emotional toll of testifying at a trial.

Haywood spent more than 13 months either incarcerated or on home detention while awaiting trial. The sentencing guidelines also called for probation.

At one point, York said, the student told her, “I’m sorry I’m such a bad victim.” York said she found that statement to be heartbreaking.

“She was a child,” York said. “She was a student.”

Haywood’s attorney, Warren Brown, asked the judge to strike the guilty finding and offer his client probation before judgment, which is not a conviction.

Brown described the crime as an isolated incident.

“There was a relationship,” Brown said. “It was a violation of the law, but it was a relationship nonetheless.”

He said his client has expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for her actions.

Haywood, he said, now wears a scarlet letter. And the consequences of her actions will be with her for a long time.