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By BETTY ADAMS
Staff Writer 11/27/2007

A spokesman at the state Department of Education said Monday that Dumaine was last certified to teach Nov. 20.

State law prevents officials from saying whether they moved to revoke or suspend that certification. Dumaine, 39, of Readfield held a certificate that would have been due for renewal July 1, 2008.

Dumaine pleaded guilty in Kennebec County Superior Court Nov. 13 to two charges each of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact, all involving the same girl.

He resigned his teaching job at Monmouth Academy on Sept. 17 shortly after an investigation began into his relationship with a student there. Dumaine is married, although his wife recently filed for divorce, citing evidence of adultery.

Dumaine had been on staff at Monmouth since he was first certified as an educational technician Feb. 1, 1995.

He became a certified teacher Aug. 17, 2001.

On Monday, David Connerty-Marin, spokesman for the state Department of Education, confirmed Dumaine is no longer certified to teach in Maine.

However, Connerty-Marin said he could provide little more than the dates of certification.

A state law gags Connerty-Marin and the department from issuing information about the status of a certificate -- whether it's suspended or revoked -- and even from publicizing the numbers of teachers who lose their certificates.

That law, however, will be changed if the governor gets his way.

Gov. John Baldacci made a commitment last month to propose legislation to change confidentiality provisions in a 1913 state law after an Associated Press report showed Maine was the only state that did not release information about why teacher certificates were suspended or revoked.

David Farmer, a spokesman for Gov. Baldacci, said the governor's office is working with education officials to draft the legislation, which he expects to see introduced in January 2008 at the beginning of the next full legislative session.

Farmer said the change would be aimed at protecting students.

"We are not going to have someone who is convicted of being a child molester teaching in the schools," Farmer said.

He said the proposal would seek the ability "to provide information about certifications to a national clearinghouse so other states could have it and make more information available to the public."

Dumaine's jail term -- four years in jail with all but nine months suspended -- and loss of certification should keep him out of the classroom until the legislation is settled.

The prosecutor, District Attorney Evert Fowle, estimated a June 2008 release date for Dumaine, who is at the Kennebec County jail in Augusta.

Dumaine also must comply with the State Sex Offender Registry and Notification Act, which means his photo, personal and conviction data will be posted on the state's sex offender registry Web site for the next 10 years.

Education department rules governing certification say a person must "be of good moral character" to be eligible to receive a certificate. Other provisions say sexual abuse or exploitation of a child would be grounds for revocation or suspension.

"A person convicted of physical or sexual abuse of a child is presumed to lack good moral character," Connerty-Marin said. "This is grounds for revocation."

But the public won't know why Dumaine lost his certification. Neither will another state.

"This is very frustrating," Connerty-Marin said. "This case illustrates the confusion around the law and why it needs to be fixed."

Connerty-Marin said when a conviction is brought to the attention of the department through court, police or a school, the department can investigate it.

"Some cases are easier to investigate than others," Connerty-Marin said. "It varies greatly based on the case. There may be no admission, there may be no court proceedings, so it becomes more difficult and time-consuming for the investigator."

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

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