Retracing Steps on Teacher Hiring
Accusations slipped through cracks
By Ann L. Kim, Staff Writer
Originally published in Newsday, February 2, 2001
Less than a month after facing accusations that he propositioned his students for sex at a Manhattan high school, Anthony Correnti got a new job teaching music in Seaford.
Less than six months after that, in March, Correnti resigned his position in Seaford, though officials there have not said what prompted his departure. And two weeks ago, on Jan. 18, Suffolk County police arrested Correnti after a West Islip woman accused him of sexually abusing her 13-year-old daughter, whom he met on the Internet.
Now, Correnti is charged with 52 counts of sexual abuse, rape and sodomy that could put him away for 75 years, and school officials in Seaford, New York City and Albany are retracing their steps, trying to figure out how a man leaving a trail of alleged misconduct found his way back into the classroom.
It seems that Correnti, a 26-year-old West Islip resident, simply fell through the cracks. The accusations that he improperly discussed sex and pornography while teaching in Manhattan were serious enough that school investigators suggested he be fired. But a follow-up investigation by the state Education Department did not find enough evidence to revoke Correnti's teaching credential—leaving him free to pursue new jobs. Correnti resigned in September, 1999, before the New York City school board could terminate him. When Seaford officials began checking his references that same month, they heard nothing about a scandalous departure.
"We had two positive reference checks and three positive letters of recommendation," said Seaford Superintendent Ranier Melucci. "When we asked about why he was resigning, they said he was resigning to work closer to home."
Melucci said he is "outraged" that teachers and administrators at Environmental Studies High School in Manhattan did not mention details about the circumstances of Correnti's departure when called for references.
Alex Corbluth, who was principal of the school while Correnti taught there, could not be reached yesterday for comment, but he declined to discuss Correnti's resignation when contacted by Newsday after the arrest two weeks ago.
"He was an outstanding teacher. His concerts were brilliant," Corbluth said at the time.
New York City and state Education Department officials say the Seaford schools would have found out about the earlier allegations if other phone calls had been made before Correnti was hired. Had Seaford officials dialed Albany in September, 1999, they would have been told his conduct was under investigation, said state Education Department spokesman Tom Dunn.
School districts are not required to check with the state about open investigations into teaching applicants, but Dunn called it "common sense" and said "districts do it all the time."
Margie Feinberg, a spokeswoman for the New York City Board of Education, said officials there could have passed on information that Correnti had been placed on a list of teachers who are not to be rehired.
Feinberg also said Seaford could have received a copy of a September, 1999, report detailing the accusations against Correnti and the recommendation that he be fired.
But Melucci maintains he and his staff had no reason to suspect the glowing recommendations from Correnti's supervisors required additional follow-up with state or city officials.
Melucci also questioned whether sharing information from Correnti's personnel file would violate privacy rules.
Melucci made some changes to the district's hiring practices in December, 1999, a few months before Correnti's resignation, as part of general improvements he said he undertook during his first year as Seaford's superintendent.
A private agency now makes background checks on all job applicants, and reference checks made by telephone are recorded on a standardized form.
The state Education Department revoked Correnti's teaching certificate in July after investigating a report filed by Melucci's staff in March. His next court appearance is set for Feb. 28.
