Former State Superintendent settles ethics investigation
Stephen Dackin, who served as Ohio’s chief of public, K-12 education for less than a month, has settled an ethics investigation by admitting that taking the job was a potential violation of state ethics law.
“Mr. Dackin acknowledges that his acceptance of the position of Superintendent after discussing the matter with an ODE employee supports a potential violation of R C. 102.03(E) of the Ohio Ethics law,” according to the settlement agreement he signed with the Ohio Ethics Commission.
The Ohio Department of Education would not comment on the settlement because it wasn’t “a party to the settlement agreement,” spokesperson Lacey Snoke said in a statement.
State Board of Education Board Member John Hagan wasn’t surprised though.
“I highly suspected that and I made that point in our meeting before he was appointed,” Hagan said. “This was not a surprise to me. I feel bad for Steve and for all the people involved.”
After Ohio’s last state superintendent retired in September 2021, Dackin was put in charge of searching for a new one. He was vice president of the state board at the time and told the ethics commission he hadn’t intended to seek the position.
That changed after an assistant policy director from Gov. Mike Dewine’s office “invited him to apply” in February, according to the settlement agreement.
After considering the idea, Dackin resigned from the board of education and put in his application for state superintendent a few days later. The board chose him 14-4 in May.
At about the same time, the ethics commission issued an investigative subpoena for documents from the Ohio Department of Education.
State ethics law prevents former public officials from soliciting or accepting items of value (like employment) in ways that could create “improper influence.” And the commission says the facts in this case “support a potential violation” because Dackin “discussed the employment opportunity with an ODE official and others prior to his resignation.”
“On May 27, 2022, commission staff explained to Mr. Dackin’s legal counsel its ethical concerns regarding Mr. Dackin’s appointment as Superintendent,” according to the settlement. “The Commission further advised Mr. Dackin legal counsel that Mr. Dackin should resign prior to accepting any compensation.”
Dackin resigned as superintendent on June 3.
Dackin agreed to three hours of ethics training and not to apply for the state superintendent position for one year after his February resignation from the state board of education.
Beyond that, the commission determined that referring this case to a prosecuting attorney wasn’t necessary because of Dackin’s cooperation and his refusal to accept payment for the three weeks he worked.