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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2007 > December > 12 > Entry
Roseda Goff found guilty
Roseda Goff
Roseda Goff, the former superintendent at the center of controversy at City Day Community School, was found guilty Wednesday of attempted obstructing of official business for allegedly interfering when school staff felt cases of child abuse and neglect needed to be reported to law officers.
Montgomery County Juvenile Court Judge Tony Capizzi said in his decision that Goff attempted to dissuade a teacher, Nate Moore, from reporting suspicions of physical abuse to the county’s childrens’ services investigators.
Capizzi set sentencing for Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. The charge is a third degree misdemeanor that carries with it a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Goff was fired as superintendent in July. The charter school’s sponsor had dismissed its governing board in June after board members refused to fire Goff. The new board’s first order of business was her dismissal.
Goff was one of four founders of City Day, Dayton’s first charter school and one of the first 15 in the state when it opened in 1998. All four were former Jefferson Twp. teachers but the others all dropped out of involvement with the school. Two left after disputes with Goff.
In February, a Dayton Daily News examination found City Day students practiced on 44 questions were identical or nearly the same as questions that later appeared on the actual state exam in the days leading up to the March 2006 administration of the Ohio Achievement Tests. That prompted a state investigation that still is underway.
Then in early May a City Day employee was caught taking notes while reviewing an Ohio Achievement Test that students were to take later in the week by proctors sent by the school’s sponsor to monitor the exam administration.
In testimony at Goff’s trial last month, four former City Day teachers said she ruled the school like a “dictator” and that teachers, who did not had employment contracts, lived in fear of being fired if they crossed her.
One of Goff’s rules, they said, was that incidents of abuse or neglect were to be reported to her before calling law enforcement so she could decided the best course of action. Other employees of the school, testifying for Goff, said she merely wanted to be informed of child abuse reports and did not discourage reporting. Teachers are mandated by law to report to law enforcement if they suspect abuse or neglect.
Moore, a physical education teacher at the school last year, said Goff tried to discourage him from reporting to law enforcement that a 13-year-old girl at the school told him she had been beaten by her mother, calling the girl a liar who couldn’t be trusted.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: City Day Investigation
Comments
By JM
December 16, 2007 12:05 AM | Link to this
Maybe Goff should be made to spend time with several white families to see how we really do discipline our children. All one needs to do is people watch at malls, Walmart, etc. to see good, bad, or indifferent parenting of all cultures. Poor discipline, like abuse or disease, does not know “color” or class.By Dave
December 13, 2007 10:19 PM | Link to this
Old Prof — Not arguing, just curious. How would a fine and revocation of her teaching certificate better serve justice?By Keith
December 13, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this
She deserves the maximum punishment. Can it be one sentence for each occurance? The arrogance of some administrators is unbelievable. Make an example.By Socialwrkr
December 13, 2007 12:39 AM | Link to this
Thank you Judge Capizzi for holding this woman responsible. Her actions were reprehensible.By markie
December 12, 2007 11:35 PM | Link to this
Cases of suspected child abuse are very serious matters. Kids in these situations usually have nobody to protect them. Pity the fools who turn their backs on these children.By null
December 12, 2007 9:48 PM | Link to this
Great Job Judge Capizzi. A message had to be sent and it was right.By Oldprof
December 12, 2007 8:42 PM | Link to this
My opinion: it doesn’t serve us to sentence Goff to jail time; a proper fine and revoking her teaching credentials ought to be sufficient.By 140,000
December 12, 2007 3:28 PM | Link to this
WOW