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	Former Teacher at Christian School to Give up License By Jennifer Smith Richards Columbus Dispatch April 7, 2008 http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/07/exteacher.html More than a decade after he admitted fondling a middle-school girl, Dwayne K. Smith will forever lose his right to teach in Ohio. There won't be specifics about his misconduct in the official state record, though, when the State Board of Education votes to revoke his license today. And the sexual abuse that Smith admitted to his employers at Worthington Christian Schools isn't mentioned. Smith officially is surrendering his license, which the state then permanently revokes, for committing "actions unbecoming to the teaching profession." Smith was never charged with a crime. James I. Miller, who heads the Office of Professional Conduct, the department's educator-investigation arm, said he couldn't comment on Smith's case because the investigation is secret. But he did say that, in general, when the Education Department wants a misbehaving educator to give up his or her teaching license, it can negotiate with that person to soften the official reason for discipline. "I think voluntary surrenders are always up for some type of agreement," Miller said. "When I got an opportunity to know this guy is never going to be in a classroom again, I'm going to go for that. It's my ultimate goal." After his admission in 1996, Smith resigned, attended Christian counseling and was forgiven by the school and its parent church, Grace Brethren Church. Worthington Christian leaders rehired him as a high-school teacher two years later. He remained there as a science teacher and soccer coach until a few days after he was highlighted in October as part of a four-day Dispatch series, "The ABCs of Betrayal," which explored teacher misconduct. Smith did not respond to a request for comment for this story, nor did he comment for any earlier stories. Less than a week after Smith resigned, a second teacher and coach at Worthington Christian was arrested in relation to charges of sexually abusing a student while working in Wisconsin. Jason Crary was convicted in January of four felony counts of sexual assault by a school staff member. He was sentenced last week to 14 months in prison with five years of probation, which he can serve in Ohio, and will be required to register as a sex offender. Last month, Crary's victim sued him and his former school, Heritage Christian School, in Milwaukee Circuit Court. The victim says the school should have known about the sexual assaults but did not intervene. In late February, Worthington Christian Superintendent Bill Williams resigned after one of the independent reviews ordered by the schools found that he had behaved inappropriately with a student several years ago. Williams disputed that finding. The allegations and convictions have been divisive for the school and church community, leaders have said. At first, school officials stood by their decision to rehire Smith. "We think Dwayne is a great teacher, a great coach. He's an outstanding person to have here," said the school's attorney, Daniel R. Swetnam, in October. "We didn't want to arbitrarily throw someone under the bus." There was never any denial that the school was aware of Smith's misconduct. But in past months, the school has said Smith should not have been rehired. Last week, an official letter of apology was sent to parents, alumni and church members. "Although we felt we followed biblical principles in this matter and trusted the Lord's promise to forgive and cleanse those who repent, we regret that it has resulted in division and distrust among the WCS family," said the letter from Executive Pastor Jim Augspurger and Pastor Jim Custer, both of whom were in leadership when Smith was rehired. "We appreciate the fact that some of you would have made a different decision regarding Mr. Smith. Knowing what we know now, we also would have made a different decision." Contact: jsmithrichards@dispatch.com.
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