An Ohio teacher who was suspended for making insulting and racially insensitive remarks to her colleagues and pulling down her pants during a school board meeting recently apologized for her actions.
Danielle Scrase referred to Sycamore High School Principal Taylor Porter as a “incompetent Black man” at a Sycamore Community Schools board meeting in September 2024 and texted a district employee, “U know Ur a joke Rite?” And you’re lucky to have a job that pays.”
Scrase was also caught on surveillance video pulling down her pants and exposing her bare buttocks three times while walking to the restroom.
Several witnesses stated that Scrase smelled like alcohol during the meeting and suspected she was under the influence.
Scrase was suspended from her teaching position for 15 days following an investigation conducted by the district.
She recently sent a letter to the district apologizing for “unprofessional behavior” that drew widespread community attention.
“I write this letter to apologize for my unprofessional behavior in my role as president of the Sycamore Education Association at the Sycamore Community Schools’ September 18, 2024 board of education meeting,” according to the letter that Scrase wrote on March 31.
“I have been silent up to this point because of confidentiality restrictions placed upon me, but these have been lifted so that I may write this.”
During the district’s investigation into the educator’s actions, Scrase admitted to exposing herself near the restroom, but claimed she was in a different part of the building where the meeting was held and no one was present.
She also admitted to calling Porter, who oversees the school where she works, “an incompetent Black man,” but claimed that those remarks were “spoken quietly” and “not within earshot of any family members in the audience.”
In response to witness reports that she appeared to be under the influence, Scrase stated that she had one mixed drink, which, combined with the prescription muscle relaxants she was taking, may have had an effect on her behavior.
“I want to specifically apologize to Sycamore High School Principal Taylor Porter for my racially insensitive comment about him at the Board meeting,” said Scrase. “I also want to apologize to the Board, my fellow teachers, staff, parents, and the school community for my unprofessional behavior at the Board meeting, which has brought negativity and distractions to the District.”
Scrase previously claimed that she attended the board meeting in her capacity as president of the Sycamore Education Association, not as a Sycamore Schools teacher. She notified the district that she had resigned from her SEA position.
“I assure you that I have learned from this experience,” he wrote. “I’ve been teaching for 28 years, 26 of them at Sycamore. Prior to this incident, I had an unblemished teaching record. I promise to be better going forward.”
Scrase also stated that she has agreed to and is participating in counseling, and she is currently undergoing an assessment.
Sycamore Schools Superintendent Chad Lewis said in an email that district officials released her letter to the community “as a necessary step.”
The school district initially suspended Scrase for 45 days without pay, but reduced it to 15 after she challenged their decision and filed a grievance complaint against Lewis, alleging he has a history of retaliation against her.
She returned to her position in January 2025.
After learning of Scrase’s suspension, some parents and school community members expressed disappointment that the district did not take harsher disciplinary action for her behavior at the board meeting.
According to WLWT, one community member filed a lawsuit against the school board, claiming that board members violated the Open Agreements Act by approving the grievance settlement, which reduced Scrase’s suspension from 45 days to 15.
In a statement, School Board President Sara Ritter wrote: “The Superintendent signed and approved the January 23, 2025 grievance settlement agreement referenced in the Complaint.”
The Superintendent has the authority to settle employee grievances under the grievance and arbitration procedures outlined in the collective bargaining agreement with the Sycamore Education Association. “This is exactly what he did.”
She went on to say, “The Board did not vote on this Agreement in any capacity and was not required to do so. As a result, the allegations that the Board violated the Open Meetings Act are unfounded. “The Board will vigorously defend and fight this lawsuit.”
