Pennsylvania School District Accidentally Hires Magician Instead of Math Teacher
A Pennsylvania school district is reviewing its hiring procedures after officials mistakenly hired a local magician to teach middle‑school math, believing his résumé and credentials were legitimate until parents raised concerns about his classroom methods.
The district, which has not been publicly named to protect student privacy, said the mix‑up began when a staffing agency forwarded a candidate whose legal name matched the stage name of a regional entertainer known for performing at fairs, birthday parties, and corporate events. The candidate reportedly submitted a résumé listing “15 years of instructional experience,” which administrators assumed referred to tutoring and educational work. In reality, it referred to teaching magic tricks at youth workshops.
According to parents, the magician taught sixth‑grade math for nearly two weeks before anyone realized the error. Students reported that he used card tricks to explain fractions, produced coins from behind their ears during lessons on decimals, and once attempted to demonstrate probability using a disappearing‑rabbit illusion. Several students said they enjoyed the class, but parents became suspicious when homework assignments included instructions such as “shuffle thoroughly” and “pick any number, don’t tell me.”
A parent finally alerted the district after searching the teacher’s name online and discovering promotional videos for his magic act. Administrators confronted the employee, who admitted he was not a certified teacher but believed the district “knew what they were getting” because he had been transparent about his background with the staffing agency.
The district removed him from the classroom and terminated the contract with the agency. Officials said no students were harmed, but the incident highlighted serious gaps in vetting procedures. “This was an administrative failure,” a spokesperson said. “We must ensure that every educator in our classrooms is properly credentialed.”
The magician was not charged with a crime, and he told local reporters he “meant no harm” and enjoyed working with the students. “They were great kids,” he said. “And honestly, they were learning. Math is just another kind of magic.”
The district said it will implement new verification steps for all incoming staff.
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