PENNSYLVANIA

April 15, 2008 - UPDATE ON A COUPLE OF NAMES

April 3, 2008 - News story on the Pennsylvania Department of Education that this week added 38 teachers to the list of those who have had their certificates revoked, suspended or surrendered because of misconduct.

The list was dated March 31, 2008. The Professional Standards and Practices Commission regularly reports on teachers who have been disciplined.
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From the newspaper story, revocations for teachers we at TT knew about:
• Beth Ann Chester TT entry
• David M. Costanza TT entry
• Jarold A. Winkleblech TT entry
• Jane A. Forgione - Surrender in Lieu of Discipline. Cause of Action: Charged with Simple Assault. Date Action Taken: 1/21/08.
TT entry. Not just charged; pleaded no contest and was sentenced.
• Jeffrey R. Harvey - Revocation for Conviction: Corruption of Minors. Date Action Taken: 11/14/2007 TT Entry.
• Linnea C. Holden - Revocation for Conviction: Endangering the welfare of children. Date Action Taken: 1/24/08 TT Entry.
• Thomas H. Matthews - Revocation for Conviction: aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors. Date Action Taken: 11/14/2007
TT entry for denial of appeal in his case.
• Matthew A. Milleo - Revocation for Conviction: corruption of minors, unlawful contact or communication with a minor, endangering the welfare of children.
Date Action Taken: 11/14/2007. TT entry
• Dennis E. Vickery - Revocation for receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. (federal) Date Action Taken: 11/15/2007.
TT entry. Not just accused but convicted and sentenced for child pornography.

FROM THE NEWSPAPER STORY AND NEW TO US.
• Dawn L. Greenaway - A suspension for testing positive for cocaine (Suspension)

• Daniel H. Ebeling - certificate surrendered in lieu of discipline for a sexual relationship with a student. He taught junior-senior high school music in the Mount Pleasant School District.
See Former Westmoreland educator surrenders teaching certificate (Apr 15, 2008 from the Pittsburg Tribune-Review.) No criminal charges were filed.

• Thomas G. Madar, music teacher/band director, South Butler County School District, certificate surrendered in lieu of discipline for a sexual relationship with a student.

• Lori A. Naser, who had elementary and reading credentials, McGuffey School District, Washington County, certificate surrendered in lieu of discipline for inappropriate relationship with a student.

• Donald J. Rosie, elementary teacher, Albert Gallatin Area School District. Certificate revoked for conviction of corruption of minors. ( See article cited for Ebeling.)
- Rosie was convicted in November 2007 for having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl he had taught four years earlier. He pleaded no contest to a first-degree misdemeanor charge of corruption of minors.
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TT - Notification of Disciplinary Actions can be found here.

For some reason, the newspaper article did not report several from the same list of disciplinary actions.

• Beth A. Harness - Criminally Charged: Endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of a minor, sexual abuse of a child, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communication device and criminal solicitation. Moon Area School District.
Surrender in lieu of discipline.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Steven A. Batoff - Revocation for conviction for Indecent Assault, endangering the welfare of children. Date Action Taken: 11/14/2007.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Sharon R. Beyer - Surrender in Lieu of Discipline for Improper relationship with student. Date Action Taken: 1/1/2008.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Deborah L. Brown - Revocation for Identity Theft . Date Action Taken: 12/5/2007.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Maurice Q. Cook - Revocation for conviction for Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse. Date Action Taken: 1/24/2008.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• J. Daniel Ferry - Revocation for pursuing an inappropriate relationship with a student; by providing gifts of lingerie and engaging in discussions regarding sexual experiences. Date Action Taken: 1/24/2008.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Sean P. Hunter - Surrender in lieu of discipline. Educator used school district computers to view inappropriate images of a sexual nature. Date Action Taken: 2/25/08.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Charles J. Newman - Surrender in lieu of discipline for Criminal charges: Theft by unlawful taking, forgery, theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, allegations of sexual misconduct. Date Action Taken: 1/22/08.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Jeffrey T. Regener - Surrender in Lieu of Discipline for Sexual relationship with a student and violation of district’s computer usage policy. Date Action Taken: 1/24/08.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Robert C. Sher - School psychologist. Surrender in lieu of discipline for: Alleged to have used a school district computer to access sexually explicit materials. Date Action Taken: 1/22/08.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Russell J. Sowers - Surrender in Lieu of Discipline for Allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor, which Mr. Sowers denies. Date Action Taken: 2/5/08.
No online stories. No TT entry.

• Michael F. Truitt - Revocation for Conviction for corruption of minors. Date Action Taken: 1/24/08.
No online stories. No TT Entry.

• Jeffrey B. Verschell - Revocation for Sexual/romantic relationship with student. Date Action Taken: 11/15/07.
No TT entry. [There is a denial of reinstatement by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing March 6, 2003 for a Jeffrey Verschell in California. No idea if it is the same individual.]

• Patricia M. Vonah - Revocation for Conviction: DUI (5), recklessly endangering another person. Date Action Taken: 11/14/2007.
Can find no online stories. No TT entry.

• Gregory C. Walker - Revocation for Conviction: theft from programs receiving federal funds, financial aid fraud, bank fraud, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, misapplication of entrusted property and property of government of financial institutions. Date Action Taken: 11/15/2007.
No online stories. No TT entry.

It's important to note that teachers don't have to be convicted to have their licenses revoked for sexual misconduct with students. When teachers are convicted, we do not know why many revocations are a year or more after conviction or sentencing.

The story, however, illustrates perfectly how many names never make it to newspapers or the public notice.