Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: MAXINE M. OBERMAN
Judges: JOHN G. VAN LANINGHAM
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Filed: Feb. 08, 2013
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, April 10, 2013.
Latest Update: Nov. 10, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 101-2395
MAXINE M. OBERMAN, |
Respondent.
if
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint
against MAXINEM. OBERMAN. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary sanction ofthe
Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant to Sections 1012.315, 1012.795, and 1012.796, Florida
Statutes, and pursuant to Rule 6B-1.006, Florida Administrative Code, Principles of Professional
Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida, said sanctions specifically set forth in Sections
1012.795(1) and 1012.796(7), Florida Statutes.
The Petitioner alleges:
JURISDICTION
lL. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 557414, covering the areas of
Elementary Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which was valid
through June 30, 2012. :
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a World History
Teacher at Deerfield Beach Middle School in the Broward County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. On or about March 3, 2011, Respondent refused to allow a 6" grade male student,
LE., to leave class to use the bathroom. LF. attempted to leave the classroom to go to the bathroom,
but Respondent physically prevented LF. from doing so. Respondent and LF. engaged in a physical
altercation, in which Respondent pushed and scratched IF.
4 On or about March 4, 2011, Respondent was placed on administrative reassignment
with pay, pending the outcome of the district’s investigation.
MAXINE M. OBERMAN
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
5. On or about May 27, 2011, Respondent submitted.a written notice of retirement to
the School Board of Broward County, effective June 11, 2011.
6. On or about June 8, 2011, the School Board of Broward County determined that
sufficient factual or legal basis existed to establish probable cause against Respondent regarding the
March 3, 2011 incident, described in paragraph 3 of this complaint, and the School Board of
Broward County accepted Respondent’s notice of retirement.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(d), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been guilty of gross immorality or an act involving moral turpitude as
defined by rule of the State Board of Education.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(g), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been found guilty of personal conduct which seriously reduces her
effectiveness as an employee of the school board.
COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)G), Florida Statutes, in
that Respondent has violated the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession
prescribed by State Board of Education rules.
RULE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 4: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(3)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to make reasonable effort
to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental health
and/or physical health and/or safety.
COUNT 5: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(3)(e), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally exposed a student
to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
MAXINE M. OBERMAN
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 3
WHEREFORE, based on the reasons set forth herein and in accordance with the
Explanation of Rights and Election of Rights forms attached to and made a part of this
Administrative Complaint, Petitioner respectfully recommends that the Education Practices
Commission impose an appropriate sanction against the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant
to the authority provided in Sections 1012.795(1) and 1012.796(7), Florida Statutes. The sanctions
imposed by the Education Practices Commission may include, but are not limited to, any one or a
combination of the following: issuing the Respondent a written reprimand; placing the Respondent
on probation for any period of time; restricting the Respondent’s authorized scope of practice;
assessing the Respondent an administrative fine; directing the Respondent to enroll in the Recovery
Network Program; suspending the Respondent’s educator’s certificate for a period of time not to
exceed five years; revoking the Respondent’s educator’s certificate for a period of time up to 10
years or permanently; determining the Respondent to be ineligible for certification; or barring the
Respondent from reapplying for an educator’s certificate for a period of time up to 10 years or
permanently.
lbh —bhccerf
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 13-000488PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Apr. 10, 2013 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Apr. 09, 2013 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
|
Mar. 19, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Respondent's Response to Petitioner's First Request for Production of Documents filed.
|
Mar. 19, 2013 |
Respondent's Notice of Service of Answers to Interrogatories filed.
|
Mar. 19, 2013 |
Respondent's Responses to Request for Admissions filed.
|
Mar. 13, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Interrogatories and Request for Production filed.
|
Mar. 07, 2013 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for May 23, 2013; 9:00 a.m.; Lauderdale Lakes, FL).
|
Mar. 06, 2013 |
Unopposed Motion for Continuance filed.
|
Feb. 20, 2013 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Feb. 20, 2013 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for April 2, 2013; 9:00 a.m.; Lauderdale Lakes and Tallahassee, FL).
|
Feb. 14, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent filed.
|
Feb. 14, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Production to Respondent filed.
|
Feb. 14, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
|
Feb. 14, 2013 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Feb. 11, 2013 |
Initial Order.
|
Feb. 08, 2013 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Feb. 08, 2013 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Feb. 08, 2013 |
Letter to K. Richards from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
|
Feb. 08, 2013 |
Agency referral filed.
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