At Least 13 NJ Teachers Lost Jobs In 4 Months For Bad Behavior

NEW JERSEY — At least 13 teachers have temporarily or permanently lost their licenses over the past four months for bad behavior. The removals come as lawmakers, school officials and the Murphy administration have made repeated calls to tighten up the state's system of hiring teachers. (see the list of teachers and their school districts below).

The teachers were removed for a variety of reasons including drug and sexual assault convictions. Hillsborough man who sexually assaulted a sleeping woman and a librarian who called a 14-year-old student her "hot boyfriend," according to state records.

Indeed, lawmakers and school officials have made calls to provide more teeth to the 2018 "pass-the-trash" law that was supposed to give school districts more power to warn other jurisdictions about teachers accused of sexual abuse and other bad behavior.

The New Jersey School Board Association, for instance, has said New Jersey should look at other states that have imposed additional requirements and penalties for noncompliance with their own "pass the trash" legislation.

The NJSBA said that, unlike other states, legislation has not been proposed to heighten the requirements of New Jersey's "pass the trash" law and fix potential loopholes.

The association says, for example, there may be issues that make it hard to implement and monitor the law, and that the state Legislature should look to shore up any loose ends in the legislation.

The NJSBA noted that one recent bill would have required the state Department of Education to collect data and report to the legislature about school districts' implementation of the law.

The Assembly Education Committee approved the legislation by a 10-1 vote but it never came up for a vote in the full chamber.

Here are the 13 teachers who have been sanctioned since Jan. 1, according to the state Department of Education:

January

• Rita O'Malley, who was previously employed by the Woodbridge Township School District, faced certified tenure charges of conduct unbecoming of a teaching staff member. The charges allege that O’Malley had submitted inaccurate and potentially fraudulent student educational evaluation reports. According to Woodbridge, those reports were deficient because O'Malley had inserted false test scores for subtests that had not been administered, included incorrect test results for subtests that had been completed, misplaced or failed to complete protocols, prepared write-ups regarding subtests that were not administered, failed to include test results for subtests that were completed and failed to administer subtests and complete an educational evaluation report. O'Malley also allegedly submitted false mileage reimbursement vouchers and received monetary payment for funds to which she was not entitled. Her penalty was a three-year suspension along with "successful completion of an educational program on testing procedures and educational evaluations to be approved by petitioner."
• Ryan J. Zamorksy of Hillsborough, who worked as a Health and Physical Education teacher in Somerville, was charged with sexually assaulting a sleeping woman in August 2019. The adult victim said she was sleeping and woke up to find Zamorsky sexually assaulting her sometime overnight between Aug. 17 and 18, 2019. The victim immediately told a family member of the assault and the incident was then reported to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit. He ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual contact. His credentials were revoked.

February

• Edward Clark of Hackensack, who worked as a gym teacher in Paterson, was indicted on charges of sexual assault (second-degree) and endangering the welfare of a child (second-degree) on Aug. 22, 2016. The indictment alleges that Clark purposely grabbed his student's breasts as he hugged her from behind. On Oct. 10, 2019, Clarke pleaded guilty to an amended count of abuse/abandonment/cruelty and neglect of child (fourth-degree). On Nov. 22, 2019, he was sentenced to probation for 3 years and ordered to have no contact with the victim, along with other requirements. His credentials were revoked.
• John D. Foerster, who worked as an elementary school teacher and gym teacher in New Jersey, had his credentials revoked after he was convicted of endangering the welfare of children and driving under the influence – third offense.
• Michael D. Hogan, who worked as a middle school teacher in Jersey City, was charged in September 2018 with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child - sexual conduct with a child (second-degree), and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child – abuse (second-degree) after it was alleged that Hogan had several inappropriate conversations with students. On Aug. 26, 2019, Hogan pleaded guilty to endangering – abuse/neglect of a child (third-degree). He was sentenced to probation for one year and subject to random drug monitoring, counseling and forfeiture of employment. His credentials were revoked.
• Jodi Myers, who worked as an elementary school teacher in New Jersey, was criminally convicted of identity theft, forgery, and theft by unlawful taking in Pennsylvania in April 2010. In or around 2005 to 2006 and 2008 to 2009, Myers was employed as a bookkeeper for a medical practice in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. While employed, Myers fraudulently endorsed several checks with her employer’s initials for deposit to her personal banking account for her use. On April 10, 2010, Myers pleaded no contest in Pennsylvania to charges of identity theft, forged unauthorized act in writing, and theft by unlawful taking moveable property. Her credentials were revoked.
• Kimberly Pinkham of Mullica Hill, a librarian of the Kingsway School District, was charged with having sexual conduct with a student in October 2019. She reportedly called the 14-year-old her "hot boyfriend," prosecutors revealed. Pinkham was indicted on charges of official misconduct (second-degree) and endangering – sexual conduct with a child by non-caretaker (third-degree). On Dec. 9, 2019, Pinkham pleaded guilty to official misconduct (second-degree). Pinkham was committed to the custody of the commissioner of the Department of Corrections for 3 years and was ordered to forfeit her teaching certificates. Her credentials were revoked.
• Christin A. Williamson (Michell), an elementary school teacher in New Jersey, was charged in October 2018 with 3 counts of possession of controlled dangerous substance, possession of paraphernalia, and shoplifting. On Oct. 23, 2019, Williamson pleaded guilty to possession of CDS (third-degree). She was sentenced to 8 days in Ocean County Jail and 18 months of probation. In November 2018, Williamson was charged with driving under the influence, violation of public health and safety, abuse/abandonment,/cruelty and neglect of a child, endangering abuse and neglect, possession of CDS, and possession of paraphernalia. On Oct. 23, 2019, Williamson pled guilty to abuse/abandonment/cruelty and neglect of child (fourth-degree). She was sentenced to 8 days in the Ocean County Jail and 18 months of probation. Her credentials were revoked.

April

• David Broach: The Freedom Prep Charter School provided the state Board of Examiners with information on David Broach, a former teacher in the charter school who was terminated because of allegations of inappropriate interactions with students. Specifically, Freedom Prep alleged Broach inappropriately communicated with students via texts and social media, made a student uncomfortable when he touched her lower back, hugged her and grabbed her wrist, and made comments to the student about her sister’s pants. Broach was offered an opportunity to submit written arguments on the issue. Broach did not file a response. The board voted to revoke Broach’s Teacher of Health and Physical Education certificate.
• Garret J. Cunningham surrendered his Pennsylvania educator license in 2019 after he was convicted in November 2018 of driving under the influence. His New Jersey credentials were revoked in April.
• Sean DiGiovanna, a Watchung Hills Regional High School Social Studies teacher, was charged with sending sexual photos to a student and asking to have a sexual relationship with them, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced. DiGiovanna, 50, of Somerset had previously served as president of the Watchung Hills Regional Education Association. The juvenile student told Warren Police on Sept. 11 that DiGiovanna sent sexually-explicit images of himself to them and asked them to have a sexual relationship with him, Robertson said. Police checked DiGiovanna's cell phone and social media accounts and found the "sexually-explicit" images and text conversations reported by the student, Robertson said. He pleaded guilty to endangering – sexual conduct with a child. His credentials were revoked.
• Davina M. Levari was charged by the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office with theft by unlawful taking and forgery. These charges were the result of allegations that Levari charged a total of approximately $4,000 to a credit card that belonged to her employer without authorization for the various charges. On November 18, 2019, Levari received 3 years of pretrial intervention for the theft charges and is required to pay restitution to her victims. Her credentials were revoked.
• Dawn Norcross pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and was sentenced on January 24, 2020 to two years of probation. Her credentials were revoked.

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