Parma City School Board approves $95,000 separation agreement for Greenbrier Middle School teacher

PARMA, Ohio — The Parma City School District Board of Education on Dec. 11 approved a separation agreement with a Greenbrier Middle School teacher that includes a $95,000 financial settlement, the teacher’s continued administrative leave through Feb. 1 and a restriction barring the teacher from district property.

Board leadership presented the agreement as a way to ensure the individual "does not teach in a Parma School's classroom again," saying the teacher has not taught in district classrooms since being placed on leave in March amid allegations. The district said it cooperated with law enforcement and retained an outside investigator, who "found that the teacher was unprofessional and lacked appropriate teacher-student boundaries." The investigator did not characterize the findings as the transcript’s redacted phrase rendered as "****** misconduct." The district reported the matter to the Ohio State Board of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct and said it will retain investigation records in district files.

During public comment, resident Vicky Farson said she opposed the resignation and expressed concern that a settlement would allow the teacher to move to another district and potentially repeat inappropriate behavior. "With a resignation, he is able to go on to another district, teach in another district, have the same behaviors with other girls," Farson said, adding that victims "are never going to forget" and describing the long-term trauma she fears the conduct can cause.

Board members said they are constrained by federal privacy law and employment protections. One board member cited FERPA and the 1985 U.S. Supreme Court case Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill to explain why employees may be placed on administrative leave and why termination can be legally complex. The board president acknowledged the outcome would not satisfy everyone but said accepting the resignation under these terms was the most effective and financially responsible resolution and that Ohio law gives continuing employees significant job protections that can make termination lengthy and uncertain.

At the roll call on Resolution 2025-12-548 (approval of the separation agreement), the board recorded the votes: Miss McTaggart voted No; Miss Kerpich, Miss Kohart, Mister Wirta and Mister Vaughn voted Yes. The resolution passed.

The district said the teacher will remain off district property and that training and procedural reviews are under way. Superintendent Doctor Hunt said the district is working with an "impact group" and has conducted training for officers, principals and administrators, with additional professional-development work planned for January and 2026 to reinforce what students and staff should do when concerns arise.

The board did not provide additional details about limitations on the teacher’s future employment beyond the district’s reported personnel action to the Ohio State Board of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct.

The board did not take further public action on this item at the meeting beyond approving the resolution.