SUPERINTENDENT PROBE State threatens to pull credentials

The school chief says she has been falsely accused.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- The Ohio Department of Education is threatening to revoke the professional certificates of Dr. Sandi DiBacco, superintendent of Struthers schools, unless she can prove that she did not falsify documents submitted to the board last year.
According to a letter from the Office of Professional Conduct dated May 5, a copy of which was anonymously sent to The Vindicator, DiBacco is accused of providing false information regarding the teaching experience of Cheryl Richards, a teacher in Struthers schools. Richards is accused of filing false information to the department as well.
The letter states that the false information DiBacco submitted enabled Richards to "obtain a permanent education of the handicapped teaching certificate for which she was not qualified."
According to the letter, DiBacco "falsely represented that Ms. Richards had taught regular classes and at least two special education classes per day since the 1998-1999 school year."
The letter goes on to state, "As a result of your misconduct, the State Board of Education intends to suspend, revoke, or limit your teaching certificates/licenses/permits. ..."
DiBacco declined to comment about the matter, saying only that she has been falsely accused and that she expects to be cleared of all wrongdoing at a hearing before the state board of education.
Verification that information provided to the state board is accurate is the responsibility of local school districts, according to J.C. Benton, spokesman for the state board's Department of Professional Conduct. Benton described the forms Richards and DiBacco submitted as "very routine."
Supportive
Kandace Becker-Hagendorn, Struthers Board of Education president, said that she "fully supports Dr. DiBacco" and expects that she will be vindicated during the hearing.
Becker-Hagendorn said she expects the hearing to take place in Columbus sometime next month.
School board member Sheri Noble declined to comment on the basis that the issue is a personnel matter.
The Department of Professional Conduct also declined to comment on specifics of the case. Benton confirmed that an investigation is under way but said no details would be available until it is complete.
However, he said that the letter requests DiBacco to surrender all of her certificates: a permanent high school teaching certificate, an eight-year supervisor certificate, an eight-year high school principal certificate, and a four-year superintendent certificate.
Should she be required to surrender only her teaching certificate, Benton said, "technically she could still be a superintendent if she has the superintendent license. However, that would have to be an agreement struck between she and the state department of education, which I'm not sure we would be willing to accept."
The state board has not yet taken any action regarding Richards, Benton said.
kubik@vindy.com