The Paradise Valley Unified School District board has unanimously voted to terminate the contract of Superintendent Dr. C. Todd Cummings following a months-long investigation. The decision, made during a special meeting on Tuesday, February 11, cited charges of untruth, incompetence, and unprofessional conduct.
Cummings had been on paid administrative leave since September while a third-party investigator reviewed a formal complaint against him. The board's action finalizes a process that began in December when it first signaled its intent to dismiss the superintendent.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. C. Todd Cummings was fired by a unanimous vote from the Paradise Valley Unified School District board.
- The termination was based on findings of untruthfulness on his job application, incompetence, and unprofessional conduct.
- An investigation found Cummings misrepresented a $225,000 payout from a previous district in Indiana.
- Further allegations included creating a disrespectful and counterproductive work environment during his short tenure.
- Cummings did not testify on his own behalf during a closed-door hearing in January.
The Board's Final Decision
The school board's vote on Tuesday evening brought an end to Dr. Cummings' brief and contentious leadership of the district. The decision was based on the findings of a closed-door hearing held in January, where evidence and witness testimony were presented.
According to information shared at the public meeting, the hearing officer found witnesses who testified against Cummings to be credible. In contrast, Cummings himself was not found to be credible and chose not to testify in his own defense.
Susan Segal, an attorney representing the district's administration, presented the case to the board. She argued that the evidence provided clear and just cause for termination, outlining a series of issues that plagued Cummings' three months of active service.
Focus on the Job Application
The central issue in the investigation was a direct question on Cummings' employment application for the Paradise Valley district. The application asked if he had ever been bought out of a contract or placed on administrative leave.
Cummings answered, “No, I recently retired,” and mentioned a settlement for his remaining year. However, the investigation uncovered a different set of circumstances at his former position in Indiana.
Background in Indiana
Records show that on January 30, just prior to his hiring in Arizona, Cummings was placed on leave from his Indiana school district to investigate “allegations regarding illegal or unethical conduct.” That district ultimately paid him $225,000 to retire early.
Segal described Cummings' answer on the application as a deliberate falsehood. “We maintain, supported by the evidence, that this was a complete untruth and it was designed completely to mislead the board and anybody else who read it,” she stated during the board meeting.
Emails obtained earlier showed that community members had warned the Paradise Valley school board about Cummings' history, stating that he was put on administrative leave and did not simply retire from his previous role in South Bend.
Allegations of Incompetence and Disrespect
Beyond the false statements on his application, the investigation detailed a pattern of troubling behavior during Cummings' short time leading the district. The formal statement of charges included accusations of violating district policy, insubordination, and fostering an unprofessional work environment.
“In the three months that he was here, he initiated a practice and pattern of incompetence, disrespect, disregard, rudeness, being just generally difficult to work with, and being counterproductive to what the district’s mission was,” Segal told the board.
The attorney summarized the investigator's findings, stating that sufficient cause existed to terminate Cummings' contract for “incompetence, unprofessional conduct, inefficiency, and violation of district policies and regulations.” These findings painted a picture of a leader who was at odds with the district's staff and established procedures from the outset.
Unaddressed Controversies from Previous Role
While the Paradise Valley investigation focused on his application and conduct in Arizona, other serious allegations from Cummings' time in Indiana were not part of the official charges but provide important context.
During his tenure there, Cummings faced public criticism for a decision to keep schools open during a severe ice storm. The incident resulted in buses sliding off roads and a child being injured in a fall.
Grade Manipulation Scandal
An independent auditor hired by Cummings' former Indiana district found evidence that employees had systematically manipulated at least 2,500 student grades. The changes were allegedly made to artificially boost graduation rates by giving students credit for courses they did not earn.
Some officials in Indiana suggested Cummings had a direct financial motive to improve these rates due to performance incentives in his contract. The auditor’s findings were made public the same week Cummings was announced as the new superintendent for Paradise Valley.
When questioned about this in September, Dr. Cummings denied any wrongdoing. “Of course not. We never directed folks to change grades to improve graduation rates,” he said at the time. He has not responded to recent requests for comment following the board's vote to fire him.