cover 1999-2002 - SCI

Larceny, Petit Larceny, and Falsifying Business Records. In August 2003, Accardi
pleaded guilty to Attempt/Falsifying Business Records and was required to repay
$1,659.00 to the BOE.
After refusing to accept a reassignment pending his BOE administrative hearing,
citing medical reasons, Accardi was removed from the BOE payroll. On February 24,
2003, Accardi’s employment was terminated and his name was placed on the BOE’s
Ineligible List.
Stevenson Smith
Stevenson Smith, a teacher at Chelsea Vocational High School in Manhattan, who
also was assigned to home instruction per session work, essentially stole at least $4,777
by falsely claiming that he was teaching children in per session classes, when he was not.
This investigation began after the Chief Administrator for the Office of Personnel
Assessment and Licensing (“OPAL”) reported that his office was unable to enter per
session payroll data for Smith for attending training sessions on June 20, 21, 22, 2001,
because the Home Instruction Schools had already entered his time for teaching on those
dates.
A comparison of Smith’s per session time cards and his Home Instruction Schools
Hourly Professional Personnel Time Reports from February, March, and June 2001,
revealed repeated conflicts between the hours he appeared to be at OPAL and the times
he reported to be teaching homebound students. On most dates, approximately 15
minutes after Smith punched out of OPAL at 65 Court Street in Brooklyn, he claimed to
be present at students’ residences in upper Manhattan. This nearly impossible feat is all
the more incredible given that it occurred during the evening rush hour.
Interviews with parents and students Smith was assigned to teach also revealed
discrepancies in his claims of many hours of home instruction.
Recommendations and Results
We recommended that Smith’s employment with the BOE be terminated and that
this matter be considered should he ever reapply for any type of position with the Board.
We also referred our findings to Bronx County District Attorney Robert T. Johnson for
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