Convicted Criminal Teaching Police Courses at Kent State
Ravenna resident pleaded guilty to possession of drugs last month
A Ravenna man who pleaded guilty to drug, weapons and drunk driving charges is teaching courses in police work at Kent State, Ohio.com reports.
Daniel Fitzpatrick, 57, is a retired member of the university's police force and pleaded guilty last month to the charges yet continues to teach courses in justice studies, KentWired reports.
University officials have said little other than to confirm Fitzpatrick's guilt and not to comment on his personal life.
Kent State spokesperson Eric Mansfield told Ohio.com that Fitzpatrick's student evaluations remain positive.
Do you think Fitzpatrick should be allowed to teach criminal justice courses after being convicted of several crimes?
Tell us in the comments.
Trans Plant
7:22 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Pretty sure the KSU student paper broke this story two Mondays ago. Interesting the professional papers and Patch are so far behind.
Dave O'Brien
2:06 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Record-Courier broke the story of FitzPatrick's charges last summer.
Teresa K.
9:00 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I commend Mr. Fitzpatrick for pleading guilty last month. Its refreshing to see someone saying "Im guilty".
I also think he is the perfect person to be teaching justice studies. Who better to teach the topic than one who who has first hand life experience?
@trans plant: what did you think about the article?
Atilla
8:03 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
It's called being a hypocrite!
James Thomas
9:12 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
One Law for the People, One LAW for the LAW.
James Thomas
9:24 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Teresa K.,
I would commend Mr. Fitzpatrick if he resigned his taxpayer funded position. I would commend Kent State if they fired him. If he was a known Republican he would be gone. If he was a known Christian he would be gone. He is a known former Police Union Member. He STAYS.
Erik Heidemann
12:54 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
"taxpayer funded position?" He's not a politician. You think the measly pittance KSU gets from the state budget comes close to keeping the lights on? Try "student funded position" instead. This would be a more realistic assessment of reality. And with respect to your paranoia about everyone out to get Christians and Republicans, get off the cross. We need the wood.
James Thomas
1:46 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Erik H.,
the 2013 Ohio budget includes just shy of 2 BILLION dollars for Higher Education. For your information students and their parents do tend to be taxpayers. As for the double standard against Christians and Republicans it is very real, if this teacher had been a known Republican or a demonstrated Christian I am sure you would be burning the cross you demand I leave on his lawn.
James Thomas
2:04 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Erik H.,
see this article on Patch!
http://kent.patch.com/articles/kent-state-to-get-boost-in-state-share-of-instruction-money
Erik Heidemann
6:44 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
James Thomas:
Kent State received $96.7 million from the General Fund, from a budget of $28.7 BILLION, with a "B." (I'm reading that from the state budget.) That's like what Lady Gaga spends on lipstick. The $1.75 billion in state budget that goes to higher education, is spread out among 61 different public universities, regional campuses, and community colleges. Higher Education's budget is 8.1% of the General Fund, and you think as a taxpayer, you have the right to make personnel decisions at a QUASI-PUBLIC INSTITUTION? And don't even try to compare this to pedophilia; not even in the same ball park. If Fitzpatrick had been convicted of pedophilia, he'd be in jail now, and this stupid conversation between us would be moot. But he pleaded guilty to drug possession, and has paid the appropriate penalties as required by Ohio law. Do you also want professors to be fired when they get a speeding ticket?
Atilla
8:04 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Well said James!
Andy Koch
9:46 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Even though Kent Stater broke this story a while ago, it is very nice to see Kent Patch have much more professionalism in the way that it is reported. Thank you.
Amanda Harnocz
11:22 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A comment was deleted for violating our terms of use.
Brian S.
12:01 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I had Fitzpatrick in class and I thought he was a great teacher. Yeah, he broke the law, but I think he should remain a teacher because now he has a background on both sides of the law potentially making him a better educator.
Erik Heidemann
12:50 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
He broke the law off of campus, off the clock. What happens off of campus, should stay off of campus. Fitzpatrick broke no terms of his contract, so I don't understand the fuss. If he was getting high at his desk during office hours, that would be one thing. But this happened during non-working hours, off campus. Everyone with their panties in a twist over this needs to chill out.
James Thomas
1:00 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Brian S. and Erik H.
Should KSU now hire known pedifiles for it's preschool education program because they do it "off campus" and could illustrate "both sides" of the issue making them a "better educator"? Goodness, did you even listen to yourself before you posted?
Mars
5:36 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
James, that's bad baiting and a bad analogy.
chris
1:36 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Leave him alone, I had him a few semesters ago and he was one of the best professors I've had. He messed up, he's doing what he legally has to do to fix it. Stop with these stupid stories.
Yuberniz Yubi Orengo
2:50 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
James you really need to re-evaluate your comment, you're comparing apples and oranges here. A small drug charge is not going to put his students in immidiate danger. And Erik H. is right, it was an off campus offense and this university is run like a private university 6 days out of the week. I was a little skeptical about it, but he seems like a nice guy who's a little kooky, and many college students respect him as a great teacher. He's going through the proper legal spectrum to pay his debt to society, leave the poor guy alone!
James Thomas
3:20 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Mr. Orengo,
immediate danger has little to do with this case. It is the integrity of the Criminal Justice Program that is brought into question by this hypocracy and the concept of one law for all citizens is harmed when there is a "different" set of standards for law enforcement personel, even retired ones who are good teachers.
Mars
5:30 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
When did KSU have integrity? You have to have it before you can lose it.
Atilla
8:28 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
So carrying bath salts, being high on marijuana while riding a motorcycle, and carrying a loaded fire arm is a small drug charge? Think about it Yuberniz, if someone were to try drugs for the first time, would they go right to bath salts? I think not. He is a life-long drug user. The justice system got it wrong this time. He is a disturbed individual, and for the KSU police department to not notice this after all those years, says something about them too. His relationships with them deteriorated several years before he was forced to retire.
Yuberniz Yubi Orengo
2:50 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
immediate*
Yuberniz Yubi Orengo
2:51 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Pfft. Several crimes.
Adam C. Miller
4:18 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I've heard nothing but great things about Mr. Fitzpatrick around campus...
Pat
7:28 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
He needs to be fired immediately! Oh sure he admitted he was guilty but two wrongs do not make a right.
Atilla
8:21 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Fitzpatrick is a person who gives cops a bad name. Why on earth would you want an admitted felon teaching your kids? A high school would fire him right away! He is a hypocrite and has been doing drugs all of his life! He just happened to get caught! Apparently since this didn't happen on school grounds, he is still allowed to teach, which shows the difference of how a student is treated here if he/she is found guilty of a felony OFF school grounds. At least most students are young and just learning about life, so mistakes are par for the course. Fitzpatrick is a 56 yr old man, who should know right from wrong at this point in his life and needs to GROW UP! He is a narcissistic person, who uses his police psychology courses to manipulate people and treats others like dirt! So for those of you supporting him, and if you are in criminal justice studies at KSU, maybe you should re-think your position on this, because you are taught to obey the law and not tolerate this kind of behavior or you too are a hypocrite!
Paul Rotheray
9:34 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
<eye roll>
Cff
7:36 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013
Um I'm his son so don't talk about him like you know him. No he has not been doing drugs his whole life and he hasent touched anything since the incident. He was going through a lot of family issues at the time that I'm not going into detail about. So why dont you throw the first stone since obviously you are without sin.