Article published November 06, 2009
Former Sylvania substitute teacher admits to forgery
By ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Despite wearing a cap and gown at his 2008 Kent State University graduation ceremony, Benjamin Haynam never earned his college degree in education.
And when it came time to prove his teaching credentials, he made them up.
Haynam pleaded guilty yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to one count each of forgery and tampering with records. A former Sylvania City Schools substitute teacher and the son of a school board member and city council member, Haynam admitted he created a fraudulent teaching certificate, including forging the necessary signatures, when applying for a full-time job in the district.
"I submitted false credentials to obtain a full-time teaching job," Haynam told Judge Gene Zmuda. He then admitted that he knew the teaching certificate was a fake because he "doctored it."
Haynam, 24, who most recently taught seventh grade science at McCord Junior High, faces up to six years in prison when sentenced Dec. 16.
As part of the plea agreement, two additional counts each of forgery and tampering with records will be dismissed at his sentencing and the prosecutor's office will recommend community control. He also agreed to reimburse the school district $21,883.34, for the money he was given in salary and benefits.The 2003 Southview High graduate is the son of Pam Haynam, a longtime Sylvania school board member, and Doug Haynam, a Sylvania councilman and former interim chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party.
Mrs. Haynam, who was not re-elected in this week's school board election, appeared in court yesterday but declined to comment after the plea.
Attorney Richard Kerger said Haynam walked with his graduating class at Kent State University in 2008 but unbeknownst to his family, did not officially graduate.
"He had problems with college and took a shorthand way of handling them," he said yesterday. "He was a good teacher, that's why they hired him. He did a good job, he was monitored, and the kids passed."
Haynam was hired as a substitute teacher in September, 2008. His mother abstained from the school board vote that approved the hire.
In December, he was assigned a classroom as a full-time substitute after a teacher fell ill, Mr. Kerger said. In May, he submitted an application for a full-time job.
Sylvania officials have acknowledged that a "breakdown" in the district's protocol led to Haynam's hiring as a substitute teacher.
A district secretary in charge of substitute teachers took Haynam on his word, and allowed him to proceed in the hiring process on his promise he would submit his college transcript and teacher's license. He never did.
Only when the district offered Haynam a full-time teaching job did it become apparent that he lacked the proper license and credentials. He then submitted a fraudulent teaching license that he admitted yesterday he created in his Sylvania home. School officials said that the Ohio Department of Education confirmed the document was fraudulent.
Sylvania Superintendent Bradley Rieger called the situation "unfortunate" for everyone. He said the district has protocols to avoid such missteps but that the systems had not been followed.
Since discovering the fraudulent behavior, the school district reviewed all human resource polices and "tightened up areas," Mr. Rieger said. "The bottom line is that we just have to follow what was in place," he said.
As a substitute, Haynam taught classes at all levels of Sylvania schools before taking the long-term assignment in December at McCord.
Assistant County Prosecutor Lindsay Navarre said yesterday that the students taught by Haynam will be tested this year to ensure that they were properly taught the material. She added that the school district intends to "further tutor them if necessary."
Mr. Rieger said the district is monitoring the students but that all appear to be at the appropriate level in their science studies.
"From my perspective, the students are doing fine in science," he said.
Contact Erica Blake at:
eblake@theblade.com
or 419-213-2134.
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