EXCLUSIVE: Fired Providence Teacher Hired in Central Falls

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv News Editor

A Providence teacher who was fired for refusing to take a psychiatric examination later went on to become a substitute teacher in Central Falls for two years—before administrators became aware of his past, a GoLocalProv investigation has found.

Fermin R. Ciprian was a teacher and coach in Providence public schools until October 2007, when he was put on administrative leave for “threatening and hostile behavior toward other school employees,” according to a report in Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly. Ciprian also reportedly was taping conversations among employees and claiming that in fact he was the one being harassed, the report says.

After he was put on leave, Ciprian sent a letter to the Rhode Island Attorney General claiming the FBI “had a device that could listen to an individual’s thoughts” and accusing the government of tainting his drinking water, according to the Lawyers Weekly report. After the Attorney General forwarded the letter to the school district, Ciprian was suspended for refusing to submit to a psychiatric exam and eventually fired at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

Fired teacher worked for two years in Central Falls

But his past did not stop him from securing a position as a day-to-day substitute teacher in Central Falls. Superintendent Frances Gallo confirmed that Ciprian started working as a substitute on November 12, 2009.

He continued to work for nearly two years.

And, although Gallo described him as a day to day substitute, a source at the high school says Ciprian was more like a long-term substitute—someone who fills in for a teacher over an extended period of time.

A document obtained by GoLocalProv shows that Ciprian actually was scheduled to teach five classes and oversee an advisory on a daily basis—more typical for a long-term substitute than a day-to-day substitute. He is even identified as a “teacher” on the schedule. (See below for a copy of the schedule.)

Gallo said Ciprian was let go in recent weeks after she received an anonymous flyer that made allegations about his past. Gallo said she confronted Ciprian about the allegations. “We simply approached him and said ‘We simply can’t have you,’” Gallo told GoLocalProv.

During the two years that he worked at the district, Gallo said there were never any incidents involving Ciprian that were reported by teachers or administrators.

Source: ‘highly inappropriate’

But sources in the district said they were alarmed to learn of his background. “What it says about the district is that they don’t care about the climate and safety of the school,” one Central Falls High School teacher said.

Another source in the district called the situation “highly inappropriate.”

“Obviously it is a concern for the students,” said state Senator John Tassoni, D-Smithfield, who has recently called for Gallo’s resignation over concerns he has about the management of the district.

However, Gallo said she did not became aware of Ciprian’s past until recently—even though she worked as a deputy superintendent in the Providence School District up until 2007, when the issues first arose with Ciprian. “I didn’t know about it certainly through November 2009 on or I would have acted sooner,” Gallo said.

Little review for substitute teachers

It remains unclear exactly how Ciprian was allowed to work as a substitute for so long without administrators learning of his background. Gallo said day-to-day substitutes do not have to go through interviews in order to work. All one has to do is come in to the central office and fill out an application. As long as the Human Resources Department confirms they are a certified teacher and clears them through a criminal background check, the person can be a substitute, Gallo said.

“Obviously this should have been caught,” Tassoni said. “I don’t think their vetting procedures are any good.”

Ciprian is still certified as a teacher in health and physical education, according to Elliot Krieger, a spokesman for the Rhode Island Department of Education. His certification has been under review for at least a year. (Ciprian has also taken the Providence School District to court over his dismissal and the case is currently pending before the state Supreme Court.)

The district is required to provide RIDE with a list of current employees, but Ciprian’s name does not appear on the roster because he is a substitute teacher, Krieger said.

Gallo said that when teachers leave other districts under questionable circumstances, that information should be shared with RIDE, so it can be passed onto other districts. She suggested that RIDE and the Rhode Island School Superintendents Association should consider creating a red-flag list of teachers who are certified but have issues that districts would want to know about before hiring them.

A spokeswoman for the Providence School District did not respond to a request for comment. Ciprian also could not be reached for comment.

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Sample Schedule for Fermin Ciprian

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