PSC revokes licenses of Dallemand, former IT director

ATLANTA -- Georgia’s educator watchdog agency voted Thursday to revoke the licenses of former school Superintendent Romain Dallemand and the district’s former technology director.

Dallemand and Tom Tourand have 30 days to appeal the decision by the Professional Standards Commission.

“That’s the sanction they gave,” said Ed Aaron, the Bibb County school system’s compliance officer who attended Thursday’s session. “There was no discussion.”

In another case, the commission also voted to investigate both Dallemand and former Bibb County school employee Alisha Allen-Carter after an allegation of sexual harassment.

After results of the school system’s latest audit were released months ago, the system conducted its own investigation and forwarded its findings to the PSC and the state Attorney General’s Office. The PSC investigation was based on the audit results as they related to the educator code of ethics.

The audit contained nine allegations, contending that Dallemand had repeatedly violated school board policy while he was superintendent by ordering more than $26 million in technology equipment and services without the required, prior approval of the school board.

The FBI also is investigating possible criminal wrongdoing by Dallemand.

Both Dallemand and Tourand, who has since retired, will be notified of the commission’s findings on their certifications.

“The Professional Standards Commission ethics division will send notices to the educators,” division Director Paul Shaw said after Thursday’s meeting. The letters to Dallemand and Tourand will outline the decision and give them a chance to respond.

If the men appeal, the cases would go to the Attorney General’s Office, and in time an administrative law judge could hear the cases. If they appeal, it could take a year or more for the cases to work their way through the process.

Tourand said Thursday night: “I wasn’t expecting that. I’ll have to look at appealing.”

Once the cases are finally resolved, the results will go on a national educator database, Aaron said.

Asked about the PSC decision Thursday, interim school Superintendent Steve Smith said only, “I have complete confidence in the PSC and their ability to investigate alleged violations and rule accordingly.”

All cases before the PSC are closed to the public while commission investigators sort out the facts, speak to all sides and present their findings to the commission. The Bibb cases were two of dozens of matters Thursday that commissioners decided on or chose to investigate, close or settle.

In the second case, the PSC decided to investigate an allegation of sexual harassment leveled against Dallemand by Allen-Carter, according to a source familiar with the case. Allen-Carter alleged that the harassment happened while both she and Dallemand were school system employees. Allen-Carter, who was director of alternative education for the system at one time, was not offered a contract for the 2014-2015 school year.

Aaron would not discuss the case.

“The district can’t talk about that because we reported it to the PSC,” he said.

Initially, the PSC voted Thursday to investigate only Allen-Carter. After discussion, however, the commission also decided to investigate Dallemand as well.

Essentially, the PSC would investigate whether Dallemand was guilty of sexual harassment and whether Allen-Carter was telling the truth in her allegations.

Reached Thursday night, Allen-Carter said: “I welcome any investigation. That’s all I can say.”

Dallemand was sworn in as school superintendent in early 2011. About two years later, after heavy criticism of some of his initiatives and legal action against him, the school board bought out his contract for $350,000.

At one time, Dallemand was thought to be back in his native Haiti. Attorneys had been trying to serve him with a subpoena in a lawsuit brought by a student who alleged that other students had raped her on the Northeast High School campus.

The PSC will send its letter to his last known address.

Thursday’s action marks at least the third Dallemand case at the PSC. A 2012 complaint alleged that he had falsified entries on his resume. The same year, another complaint alleged inappropriate travel spending. In both cases, the state agency recommended that the Bibb school system conduct its own investigation.

Staff writer Maggie Lee contributed to this report. To contact writer Oby Brown, call 744-4396.

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 5:47 PM with the headline "PSC revokes licenses of Dallemand, former IT director ."