BUFFALO - A former substitute teacher imprisoned in the 1970s for contributing to a Long Island toddler’s death pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of lying about his conviction to state education officials so he could work in a western New York school.

Harold Eisenman, 60, of Springville turned himself in to state investigators in Albany Wednesday morning, his lawyer, Michael Benson, said. He was released on his own recognizance after arraignment in Albany City Court.

“Ensuring that New York’s schools are safe for our children is a priority for all of us and obtaining truthful histories of prospective employees is critical to help make that happen,” said Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, whose office investigated the case at the request of state Education Commissioner Richard Mills.

Eisenman spent six years in prison after being convicted of second-degree manslaughter for contributing to the death of 2-year-old Diane Salica by hitting her with karate blows on Nov. 30, 1973. Eisenman, a substitute gym teacher at the time, told police he was demonstrating karate for Salica’s two older siblings.

Diane Salica died the next day from internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen. Her mother, Fern Salica, who was Eisenman’s girlfriend, spent nearly four years in prison for criminally negligent homicide.

The education department cleared Eisenman to work as a substitute teacher in the Gowanda school district south of Buffalo in 2004 after he falsely claimed his manslaughter conviction stemmed from a reckless driving accident that killed a friend, according to Cuomo’s office.

State education officials who discovered the manslaughter conviction during a criminal background check had informed Eisenman they would deny him clearance for employment unless he provided an explanation.

Eisenman’s attorney declined to comment on the allegations but said Eisenman had cooperated with investigators.

“Mr. Eisenman has led a law-abiding life since he’s paid his debt to society,” Benson said. “He’s very upset at the moment but there will be a comment at a later date.”

Gowanda’s school superintendent, Charles Rinaldi, said Eisenman was frequently used as a substitute, mainly in the middle and high schools, starting in April 2006. He was first hired as a substitute in 1999, staying for about a year, and also worked during that period at schools in nearby Springville, Rinaldi said.

Since 2001, the education department has been required to collect fingerprints and conduct background checks on all potential school employees. Mills said the department last year strengthened its regulations to obtain more extensive background information.