He Taught Their Children for Nine Years - Under a Dead Man's Name
Unable to add items
Sorry, we're unable to add the item because your cart is already full.
Add to basket failed.
Please try again later
Add to wishlist failed.
Please try again later
Failed to remove from Wish List.
Please try again later
Adding to library failed
Please try again
Unable to follow podcast
Unable to unfollow podcast
He Taught Their Children for Nine Years - Under a Dead Man's Name
-
Narrated by:
-
By:
A small-town routine hid a nine-year deception: a man taught fifth grade under the name and certification number of Scott Adams, who had died in 2001, and the false identity only unraveled when a laminated certificate was found on August 9, 2011. How did paperwork, audits, colleagues and two superintendents all miss that a buried man’s credentials were being used in a live classroom for nearly a decade?
In this episode, you’ll hear how the case unfolded from discovery to verification, what personnel records and a routine superintendent’s question revealed, and why the academic records ultimately remained unchanged. What does it mean that a teacher so trusted by students stood in front of them under a dead man’s name?
Person: Dennis Alan Pruitt
Person: Scott Adams (deceased)
Date: August 9, 2011
Location: Dellard Elementary, Dellard Township, Morrow County, Ohio
Event: Credential verification triggered by superintendent Monica Grahl
- A laminated teaching certificate with the name Scott Adams was found tucked in a drainage culvert on August 9, 2011.
- The real Scott Adams died in August 2001 at age 29 in a traffic accident on Interstate 71.
- Dennis Alan Pruitt began teaching at Dellard Elementary in 2002 and taught for approximately nine years.
- Monica Grahl, superintendent for less than six months, scheduled a credential meeting on August 3, 2011 and called the Ohio Department of Education the same afternoon.
- The verification that the certificate number belonged to a deceased man came back within roughly 48 hours.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet