Jordan Middle School

BURBANK — Amy Beck, the former Burbank middle school teacher who turned herself in earlier this month for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student, faces up to two years in state prison as part of a plea deal announced in court on Thursday. Beck, a 33-year-old former English and social science teacher at Jordan Middle School, pleaded no contest Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court as part of a deal in which she faces up to two years in state prison, in addition to registering as a sex offender for two charges related to sex with a minor.

The former Jordan Middle School teacher who turned herself in for having sex with a 14-year-old student was transferred Thursday to a Los Angeles County jail in Lynwood, authorities said. Amy Beck, the 33-year-old Burbank Unified English and social science teacher, does not intend to post $175,000 bail as she continues to work with investigators, said her attorney, Michael Williamson. “My client is not making any admissions,” he said. “She’s voluntarily assisting and cooperating with the Burbank Police Department.

When Jordan Middle School teacher Amy Beck turned herself in for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student last year, the hammer of public and media scrutiny was harsh and swift. The story was picked up nationally as the public wondered how a seemingly well-liked and -respected teacher could stray so far off the legal and ethical path. Nevermind the very real impacts to student and teacher life at Burbank Unified School District, which, combined with impending layoff notices and the death of a 7-year-old student at home this week, has seen its share of battering.

[DEVELOPING] A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Wednesday postponed the arraignment of a Burbank Unified teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student so that she can continue to work with authorities, her attorney said. Amy Beck, a 33-year-old teacher at Jordan Middle School, will remain in jail and is working with authorities as they investigate allegations that she had a sexual relationship with a student who was 14 at the time, her attorney, Michael Williamson, said.

A Burbank Unified School District teacher turned herself in Monday for having sex with a 14-year-old student from March to September last year, police said. Amy Beck, 33, a sixth-grade teacher at Jordan Middle School, surrendered Monday afternoon to Burbank police with her lawyer, and was being held on $400,000 bail, Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada said. “We’re still trying to piece everything together, what happened, where, what kind of sex acts, how many, and how long it’s been going on,” he said.

Eighth-grader Spencer Malden’s only experience building things is with Legos. But three days into a lesson at Luther Burbank, he donned mechanic gloves and disconnected a sparkplug from an engine while explaining how its piston worked. “I’ve been trying to take it apart, and I’m getting better at it,” he said. “I don’t know [if I want to be a mechanic], but it’s better than math.” Spencer is in the Exploring Technology Lab elective at school, providing hands-on learning opportunities in 16 roughly two-week courses, ranging from robotics, forensic science, applied physics, audio broadcasting and microbiology.

POSTER CONTEST SPONSORED BY BURBANK NOON LIONS CLUB While students in Germany celebrated the 20th anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall, Burbank students were sharing their images of world peace as part of the Burbank Noon Lions International Peace Poster Contest award ceremony. The 14th annual contest is open to middle school students, and those selected were from John Muir, Jordan and Luther Burbank middle schools along with middle school students at the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank.