Thread by @MRMasferrer

A Bradenton kindergarten teacher abused some of her students, investigations found But not only was she not charged with a crime by @ManateeSheriff, @ManateeSchools let her keep teaching at another school. Later, she was allowed to retire. 1/ bradenton.com/news/local/edu…

A panel made up of 3 @ManateeSchools bureaucrats reviewed the investigation & instead of recommending she be fired, they called for her to be suspended for 2 days & to be transferred to another school. @SuptCSaunders accepted the recommendation. Why? She wouldn't tell us. 2/

Reporters @JDeleon1012 & @GSabella did get to talk to the school district's attorney, who declined to directly answer a good question: Is a finding of abuse "good cause" to fire a teacher? Instead, he pinned the decision back on the 3 bureaucrats. 3/

.@ManateeSchools spox offered a little more of an explanation: “The difficulty is ensuring the safety of all of our students — which is the top priority of the school district — while also safeguarding the rights of due process afforded to employees accused of wrongdoing.” 4/

.@EducationFL also has due process & after it reviewed the case FL Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran told the teacher he was moving to strip her teaching certificate. Before it got that far, she surrendered it voluntarily. 5/

.@bradentonherald reporters @Gsabella & @JDeleon1012 put the story together by reviewing public records detailing four separate investigations of the teacher AND speaking with the school volunteer who reported what she saw to @MyFLFamilies' child abuse hotline. 6/

Here's video, shot by @tompkinscondie of that interview: bradenton.com/news/local/art… 7/

This type of accountability reporting by @GSabella @JDeleon1012 & @tompkinscondie is one example of why @BradentonHerald is essential to understanding what is happening in our area, especially by those entrusted with our tax dollars -- & our children's care 8/

All three are recent recipients of statewide awards for their work. @Gsabella has been honored by @FLPressClub & FL Society of News Editors for his education coverage; & he & @JDeleon1012 were honored for their coverage of school security issues in Bradenton. 9/

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