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Nehemiah Haire and John Galbraith are two East High football coaches without background checks
Two East High football coaches now sidelined
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown City Schools has another issue with a lack of background checks for coaches.
Nehemiah Haire and John Galbraith are two East High football coaches without background checks.
District spokeswoman Denise Dick said both Haire and Galbraith will not be coaching until the background checks are rectified.
“Both have elements of their PAP [pupil activity permit] credentials. However, we’ve discovered they did not have background checks,” she said.
Haire will be paid on a supplemental contract and Galbraith is a volunteer.
The background checks of individuals working with children are to be sought by individual school districts. A PAP is required by the state Department of Education but local districts gather and submit the paperwork.
Now, the district is spot-checking others to make sure there aren’t other people in similar situations.
The news of the lack of background checks comes just eight months after 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, revealed a lack of background checks for volunteer coaches with an intramural basketball league.
“Obviously, someone dropped the ball along the way and that’s something that must be addressed,” Dick said in a statement. “Once it’s determined what exactly happened, the person or people responsible will face discipline. While we don’t anticipate any problems or issues with the background checks of the two people for whom they haven’t come back yet, it’s unacceptable that they weren’t done earlier.
“The school district and CEO Mohip take the safety of students very seriously and that has to come before everything else. Upon learning about the issue, the CEO was furious. We are in the process of reviewing others who are working in the district, including volunteers, to make sure they’ve successfully completed the required background checks.”
In addition, two more East High football coaches are working without the required PAPs: Anthony Floyd and Charles Harris.
“Coaching or pupil activity permits are required for individuals who will direct, supervise or coach a student activity program that involves athletics, routine or regular physical activity or activities with health and safety considerations,” according to the Ohio Department of Education website.
Dick said Floyd and Harris have submitted all of the required paperwork, but they don’t have the official PAP.