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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2007 > July > 27 > Entry
Goff facing criminal charge
Roseda Goff
By Scott Elliott
Staff Writer
Roseda Goff, the fired former superintendent of City Day Community School, has been charged with attempted obstruction of official business for discouraging a teacher from reporting a case of child abuse involving a student at the school.
Goff, 60, of Jefferson Twp., will be arraigned before Judge Tony Capizzi in Montgomery County Juvenile Court on Aug. 1 on a first degree misdemeanor charge. If convicted she could receive a sentence of up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Julie Bruns, chief of the juvenile division of the Montgomery County prosecutor’s office, said the incident began with a child at the school who told a teacher they had been struck by their mother and displayed injuries.
The teacher, Bruns said, went to Goff for instruction.
“It is our belief that on that occasion, and on prior occasions, she has told teachers not to report suspected abuse even though she and all the teachers are mandated to report,” Bruns said. “Those teachers, having a conscience, reported it anyway. She attempted to persuade them not to report it.”
Ohio law requires teachers to report incidents of suspected child abuse to authorities. As a result of a teacher’s report to police, the child’s mother now faces a child abuse charge, Bruns said.
Goff is at the center of an Ohio Department of Education investigation into allegations that students at City Day practiced for state achievement tests by drilling on questions that later appeared on the actual exams. The Dayton Daily News in February reported that 44 questions on City Day’s practice tests were identical or substantially the same as questions that appeared on the actual achievement tests.
A consultant who prepared the practice test said Goff gave her those questions, which she presumed were from practice materials. Goff has denied providing actual test questions for the practice exam.
Earlier this month, City Day’s sponsor — Cincinnati-based Education Resource Consultant of Ohio — fired Goff and dismissed its five-member governing board for refusing to fire her. A new board and superintendent were installed.
Officials from ERCO and the new governing board declined comment. Goff could not be reached for comment.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: City Day Investigation
Comments
By keith
July 29, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this
This does show the push on the Republicans’ part toward nonpublic schools and funding them, attracted some of the noncertificated personel and those who are a little screwy in their interpretation of “illegal to look at, copy, paraphrase” test questions on the test copy they had obtained prior to the testing date for that school. The instructions for test handling within the school and within the district were very clear in the earlier versions.By Oldprof
July 28, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this
Does this show that the proliferation of ‘alternative’ schools, plus the legislative mandates for more and more administrators, creates more positions than there are competent administrators? Or that we do not yet have adequate training and screening procedures for administrators? And while we’re considering that question, Stewball should understand that publishing the gory details of injuries suffered by an abused child is NOT good journalism, it’s voyeurism—and it gives me the creeps a little bit that anyone should be so eager to dwell on the specifics of depravity, numb to the potential further harm caused by violating that child’s privacy.By Rick
July 28, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this
I seem to remember an Enon school administrator who got convicted because he first called the school system’s attorney to find out what the school’s obligations were. This was 10-15 years ago.By Laura
July 27, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
I had an administrator like that before. He told us he “knew” the family and would “talk” to them. We told him he had to report it. We took pictures just to be safe. Unfortunately, sometimes even CSB doesn’t respond to every report in a timely manner.By StewBall
July 27, 2007 7:02 PM | Link to this
I’m curious as to what the childrens’ injuries were. Cigarette burns, broken bones, gouged eyes, bloody noses. OR, perhaps welted buttoxes. Just what were these alleged injuries. An inquiring mind wants to know. Come on DDN, let’s have all the juicy details.By Caroline
July 27, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this
That is awful. I’m glad that those teachers reported it anyway. It shows what Goff’s priorities are.