SOUTHINGTON - A second-grade teacher at Thalberg School has resigned after pictures of her in a bikini taken on "The Howard Stern Show" caused a local stir and left her feeling as if she had no choice, her husband, Aaron Jarry, said, according to www.howardstern.com.

Marie Jarry submitted a letter of resignation to the Southington Board of Education Monday, according to what her husband said on Stern's satellite radio program and webcast Thursday.

Jarry said his wife felt pressure from the Thalberg community when the pictures were released.

"We were OK with it, then the local media got a hold of it," he said. "There was just a lot of pressure."

The school board accepted her resignation Monday.

School Superintendent Joseph Erardi said the district had no discussion regarding termination and accepted Jarry's resignation immediately. The resignation was submitted after Marie Jarry had spoken to a lawyer, her husband indicated on Stern's show.

"She submitted an irrevocable letter of resignation to me, which I accepted," Erardi said Thursday. "Any reports that she was terminated are not true. I do not intend to make any further comments on this matter, given it is a personnel matter."

The couple went on the show to take part in Stern's "Ugliest Man, Hottest Wife" contest May 1. Stern and his co-hosts named the Jarrys winners over two other couples and awarded them $5,000.

Family at the couple's Unionville home said Thursday evening that the couple won't comment further. Phone calls left earlier in the day were not returned.

During the appearance on the show last Thursday, Marie Jarry made several comments relating to her sex life with her husband as part of discussions with contestants.

Stern said on air that he believed she was forced to resign for the wrong reasons, saying that Marie Jarry had not taken her clothes off and had not said anything that he felt was controversial.

She worked only one day after the contest before resigning.

Brian Goralski, chairman of the Board of Education, said the board has not discussed the matter and noted that all personnel matters go directly through the office of the superintendent.

More than a dozen parents and Parent-Teacher Organization members said Thursday they were shocked at the situation and did not expect to ever hear of a situation like this regarding a teacher at Thalberg.

PTO members said in a brief discussion that Jarry appeared to be an effective teacher but they did not feel her decision to go on "The Howard Stern Show" was the right choice. Each of the members contacted refused further comment.

The members and parents contacted did not want to be identified.

jvallee@record-journal.com

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