SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A teacher suspended without pay for racially insensitive remarks made during a school board meeting and indecent exposure has written an apology letter in which she promises to "be better moving forward."
The letter, dated March 31, was written and signed by Danielle Scrase. Scrase was accused in March of indecent exposure, public intoxication, bullying and making racist remarks — all during a school board meeting that was held in September 2024.
"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," reads the letter from Scrase. "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."
Scrase wrote in her letter that she has resigned from her position as SEA president.
Video from the board of education meeting appears to show Scrase, a teacher at the district and the president of the Sycamore Education Association, three different times pulling her pants down in a common area on the way to the bathroom. This was part of Sycamore Community Schools' investigation into her conduct from a Sept. 18, 2024 Board of Education meeting where witnesses described her as under the influence and smelling of alcohol.
Watch the video below:
Scrase apologized to the board, 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" in the March 31 letter.
Scrase is also accused of making racist remarks directed at the principal of Sycamore High School, Taylor Porter, during a presentation.
A district investigation noted two witnesses heard Scrase make racist remarks, including, "Oh look, an incompetent Black man taking a photo," and "Incompetent Black man shouldn't be in the picture."
In her letter, Scrase apologized specifically to Porter for "my racially insensitive comment about him at the board meeting."
In documents obtained by WCPO, Scrase had previously defended herself in a letter to Superintendent Chad Lewis saying she made the remarks "under my breath. It was not spoken directly to anyone. It was spoken quietly to myself and was not within earshot of any family members in the audience because their chairs were several feet away from where I was sitting. Some background; I grew up in an Italian family where talking aloud to oneself is part of our culture."
In those documents, Scrase also admitted to having "one mixed drink" before the board meeting but said she wasn't drunk. She said she was on medication and added "I believe the side effects are relevant which I took after school at approximately 4:30 p.m."
She also addressed the indecent exposure allegations and denied where she went to the bathroom was not a common area. Scrase wrote, "As I was right outside the door, I did begin to lower my pants just before I entered. I did not expose myself to anyone, no one else was on this secured side."
Scrase was also accused of sending a disparaging text message to the community relations director, Mallory Bonbright, during the meeting while she was trying to fix technical problems. The text said, "You know you are a joke, right and you are lucky to have your job and pay."
In her letter, Scrase wrote that she's received a disciplinary suspension without pay for her "unprofessional behavior." She also wrote she has agreed to and engaged in counseling and is in an assessment process.
Scrase said she is currently on sick leave while recovering from a surgery.
"I assure you that I have learned from this experience," wrote Scrase. "I am in my 28th year of teaching, with 26 at Sycamore. My teaching career has been without blemish prior to this incident. I promise to be better moving forward."
Initially, the district suspended Scrase for 45 days without pay, but Scrase filed a grievance challenging the suspension. Both sides settled on a 15-day suspension.
The district decided to share Scrase's apology letter with the community "as a necessary step," according to an email from Lewis.
