FL: Review: Central Florida teachers disciplined in past three years for sexual misconduct

November 16, 2008

An Orlando Sentinel review of records from the Florida Department of Education found at least 150 teachers who were disciplined in the past three years for sexual misconduct.

After the DOE investigates an allegation, the case goes before the state Education Practices Commission, a quasi-judicial group of educators, law-enforcement officials and community members. The commission decides whether a teacher should be penalized based on the investigation's findings and information from the teacher being accused. The process can take years to complete.

These are the findings from cases in Central Florida since January 2006. For more information on these and other cases, go to www.myfloridateacher.com/discipline/summary.aspx.

ORANGE COUNTY

2008, Aaron Kurdle, Boone High, letter of reprimand and two years' probation plus a $1,000 fine and a requirement to take a college course on child development; accused of making sexual comments and commenting on female students' weight and breast size.

2008, Cynthia Jean Bradford, school unknown, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for another certificate; accused of misconduct that included reading graphically-sexual material to students that was not part of her lesson plan.

2008, Bradley J. Winneshiek, University High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation of certificate; accused of calling and e-mailing two female students to discuss his marital problems; asking a female student to dinner after she moved to another school; and having photos on his school computer of female students wearing bras or bathing suits and kissing each other.

2007, Laura Hilton, Boone High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student.

2007, Carrie Lynn Kirkland, Apopka High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having a romantic relationship with a student, during which time she kissed him and showed him her breasts.

2007, Vincent Gary Rains, Lakeview Middle, Permanent Revocation; found guilty by the court of lewd battery on a 12-year-old male student.

2006, Timothy E. Bridges, Apopka High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of having an "inappropriate physical relationship" with a female student over several years and "sexual behavior or harassment" involving a female teacher and another female student.

2006, Dang Van Dinh, Boone High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; pleaded guilty to lewd battery on a child after acknowledging he had a sexual relationship with a student for almost a year.

2006, Todd W. Johnson, Pinar Elementary and Conway Middle, Permanent Revocation; accused of having a relationship with a former 13-year-old student that involved meeting after school sporting events, and e-mailing and calling the girl to say he loved her and wanted their friendship to grow into something more.

2006, James Joiner, Dillard Street Elementary, Permanent Revocation; accused of rubbing, tickling and hugging several female students.

2006, Thomas Solister Lee, Hungerford Preparatory High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of asking an 18-year-old student about having a romantic relationship with him after she graduated.

2006, Ricardo Parr, Conway Middle, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for another certificate; accused of sending e-mails to a female student saying he "wanted her" and asking is she was a virgin.

BREVARD COUNTY

2007, Daniel Travis Cliatt, Endeavor Elementary, Surrender/Permanent Revocation of certificate; convicted of molesting a former student.

2006, Jennifer A. Collins North Area Abeyance Center School, Permanent Revocation of certificate; found guilty in a criminal court of lewd battery against a 14-year-old male student.

2006, Benjamin Leon Gary, Madison Middle, Five-year Revocation of certificate; accused of touching at least two girls under their shirts and on their thighs, telling a student she was pretty and had sexy lips and searching students' pockets with his hands, making them feel uncomfortable.

LAKE COUNTY

2008, Brandon Hughes, Leesburg High, letter of reprimand and $500 fine; accused of touching the genitals of an 18-year-old former student on school property while treating her for a boil on her upper, inner thigh.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

No teachers were disciplined for sexual misconduct in Osceola during this time period.

POLK COUNTY

2008, Jason Scott Hornsby, Letter of Reprimand, two years' probation and required to pay a $500 fine and complete a college course on ethics; accused of sending a female student vulgar and threatening e-mails.

2008, Richard Bruce Lundahl, Lakeland High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of having sex with a female student when she visited his home for music tutoring.

2007, Jason Wade Carter, Winter Haven High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having a romantic relationship with a 17-year-old student that included meeting her alone in his vehicle, holding her hand and kissing her on the mouth.

2007, Theodore A. Murray, Fort Meade Middle-Senior High, Permanent Revocation; pleaded no contest to a criminal charge of voyeurism after he was accused of secretly filming or photographing a male student showering, dressing or using the bathroom.

SEMINOLE COUNTY

2008, Milo Franklin Congden, Lake Brantley High, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for another certificate; accused of referring to a female student as "G-string" and saying she had a "nice butt" and commenting to a female student about a female teacher's breasts.

2006, Gilbert C. Hall, Jackson Heights Middle, letter of reprimand and two years' probation; accused of discussing with students his girlfriend's "big rack," referring to a female student as "hot," and seating girls at the front of the class so he could stare at their breasts and buttocks.

2006, Brian S. Wilson, Oviedo High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having a romantic relationship with a 17-year-oldstudent.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

2008, Maria Claudia Velasco-Rangel, Pine Ridge High, letter of reprimand and $500 fine; accused of engaging students in inappropriate discussions about sex and embarrassing students by asking them in front of the class if they were virgins.

2008, Delana McFarland, Spruce Creek High, letter of reprimand and two years' probation and required to pay a $250 fine and complete a college ethics course; accused of sending a male student text messages, calling him "cutie," "baby" and "sexie."

2008, James W. Rakes, DeLand High, letter of reprimand and $250 fine; accused of projecting a pornographic image onto a classroom screen that was viewed by a 19-year-old male student.

2007, Paul W. Blanchfield, school location unknown, letter of reprimand and $350 fine; accused of hugging and kissing a 13-year-old girl in his classroom and a storage area.

2007, Paula Jean Cantrell, New Smyrna Beach Middle, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of having a sexual relationship with a male student for a year and a half.

2007, Darren Paul Lutz, Sunrise Elementary, letter of reprimand and two years' probation and required to pay a $250 fine and complete a college course on child development; accused of touching a female students' breasts while asking, "Who do you love?"

2007, Carlos A. Mendez, Deltona High, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of kissing a 15-year-old girl on the cheek and describing his first sexual experience to a student.

2007, David Robert Nist, New Smyrna Beach High, letter of reprimand and $500 fine; accused of sending sex-related texts to a female student and talking online to a female student about sex and drinking.

2007, Bruce S. Snow, DeLand High, Surrender/ Permanent Revocation; accused of harassing a female student by sending her personal cards, calling her at home, repeatedly visiting her place of employment and leaving a rose on her car.

2006, Christopher Thomas Kellett, Spruce Creek High, letter of reprimand and $250 fine; accused of touching a student near her breast and on her stomach and leg and also hugging her several times while they were alone in an equipment room.

2006, James E. Sinsel, Father Lopez Catholic High, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for another certificate; accused of sending a 15-year-old female student an instant message that ended with "Love ya, bye" and mailing a personal letter to a female student that contained a drawing of a diamond ring that he indicated was for "his girl" if she wanted it.

Review: Palm Beach County teachers disciplined in past three years
November 16, 2008
PALM BEACH COUNTY

2008, Carol L. Flannigan, Rolling Green Elementary, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; pleaded guilty to lewd molestation. She admitted having sex with a fifth-grader in 2003.

2008, Blake Farrell Sinrod, Coral Sunset Elementary, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; pleaded guilty to the charge of child abuse. He had been accused of molesting two students.

2007, Joel H. Drucker, Forest Hill High, letter of reprimand and two years' probation and $250 fine; accused of pulling on the label of a female student's underwear and attempting to read it. He also allegedly told two girls who were discussing the size of their breasts that "a handful is enough."

2006, Howard David Katz, Beacon Cove Intermediate School, Permanent Revocation; accused of putting his hand on the buttock of a 9-year-old female student and leaving it there for several seconds. He also allegedly patted a third-grade student on her bottom and on her belly below the navel.

2006, James Michael Mostowy, Lake Worth Middle, suspension and three years' probation and $2,000 fine; accused of an inappropriate personal relationship with a former student that included writing letters to each other, inviting her to his home to swim in his pool and giving her gifts.

2006, Antoinette Pietro, Kennedy Middle, letter of reprimand and two years' probation and $100 fine; accused of making sex-related comments to a seventh-grade girl, calling her a "hot hoochie heifer" and asking male students if they wanted to have sex with her.

2006, James H. Wheeler, Palm Beach Lakes High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having an "intimate physical relationship" with a female student.

Review: Broward County teachers disciplined in past three years
November 16, 2008
BROWARD COUNTY

2008, Victor Melece Chaler, Watkins Elementary, letter of reprimand and three years' probation and required to pay a $500 fine and prohibited from working with non-communicative students; accused of inappropriately touching a male student while the boy sat on his lap several times.

2008, Gerard K. Czwartacky, Cypress Bay High, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of grabbing a female student's buttocks and playing with girls' hair and rubbing their backs. During a conversation about a class party, he allegedly took a female student aside and, while leaning "exceedingly close," told her they would "have our own party."

2008, Leroy James Gibbs, Dillard High, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student.

2008, Seth Kaplan, Miramar Elementary, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of sending e-mails to a female student, discussing "inappropriate" subjects such as her virginity.

2008, Roger D. Morgan, Rickards Middle, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of exchanging sexually-explicit material via e-mail with a female student and hugging and kissing her in his classroom.

2008, David Alan Morgenstern, Deerfield Beach Middle, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of showering with a mentally-challenged female student and massaging her breasts and private area.

2008, Lynn H. Rochelle, unidentified school location, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old female student more than 30 years ago while teaching in Texas.

2008, Edward Allen Steinlauf, Fort Lauderdale High, letter of reprimand and one year of probation and required to pay a $250 fine and complete a college course on child development; accused of telling students about him having sex with his wife and claiming he had sex with the school's principal.

2008, Tamorris Wooten, Parkway Academy Charter High, Permanent Revocation and barred from applying for a new certificate; accused of having sex with a female student.

2007, Alex Anninos, Cypress Bay High, Permanent Revocation; accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student he tutored in math.

2007, Raymond Caldes, Flanagan High, letter of reprimand and $500 fine; accused of staring at girls' breasts and telling students, when he was asked if he was Jewish, that he would look down his pants and check.

2007, Winston M. DeWeever, Hollywood Hills High, one year of suspension and two years' probation and a $250 fine; accused of hugging and kissing a female student close to the mouth and offering to give another girl a passing grade for a "favor" that was understood to be a sex..

2007, Gregory Ivan Harris, Deerfield Beach High, letter of reprimand and two years' probation and a $500 fine; accused of asking a female student about the color of her underwear and if he could see it.

2007, Stephen J. Levenson, Rickards Middle, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; pleaded no contest to a battery charge after he was accused of inappropriately touching four students. 2007, David Hugh Menke, Coral Springs High, Permanent Revocation; accused of sending sexually-explicit messages online to female students from his physics class.

2007, Bert Peck, Coral Springs Middle, five years' suspension and $1,000 fine and prohibited from driving students in a motor vehicle; accused of misconduct that included calling a student "the horniest girl in eighth grade" in front of other students.

2006, Anthony Lalli, Hollywood Hills Elementary, Surrender/Permanent Revocation; accused of rubbing several female students on the leg, thigh or hip and touching the bras or bra straps of several fifth-grade girls.

2006, Dana J. Sorensen, McArthur High, letter of reprimand and two years' probation; accused of keeping photos of nude or scantily-clad females, including students, in his classroom or on his school computer. He also allegedly made sexual comments to a female student online.

SOURCE: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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