Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: SHAWN LIVINGSTON
Judges: J. LAWRENCE JOHNSTON
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Tampa, Florida
Filed: Jul. 02, 2014
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.
Latest Update: Nov. 18, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Comumissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 123-1909
SHAWN DION LIVINGSTON,
Respondent.
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ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint
against SHAWN DION LIVINGSTON. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary sanction
of the Respondent’s educator's certificate pursuant to Sections 1012.315, 1012.795, and 1012.796,
Florida Statutes, and pursuant to Rule 6A-10.081, 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:
1, The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 980060, covering the areas of
Educational Leadership, Elementary Education, Unglish and Exceptional Student Education, which
is valid through June 30, 2015.
2. Atall times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as an Assistant Principal
at Rodgers Middle School in the Hillsborough County School District,
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. Atall times pertinent hereto, Respondent was the administrator that was assigned to
oversee the school’s Physical Education Department.
4, On multiple occasions during the fall of 2012, Physical Education Teachers Garrick
Gawrych and Ryan McFarland approached Respondent to discuss the lack of involvement of the
ESE aides during Mr. Gawrych’s ESE physical education class.
SHAWN DION LIVINGSTON
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
5. Qn or about October 16,2012, Mr. Gawrych spoke to Respondent about the lack of
involvement of the ESE aides during Mr. Gawrych’s ESE physical education class.
6. On or about October 16, 2012, Mr. Gawrych sent Respondent an ernail reminding
him to speak to the ESE aides about their roles and responsibilities during physical education class.
7. On or about October 22, 2012, during an ESE physical education class, Mr. Gawrych
was experiencing difficulties monitoring eleven-year-old ESE student, J.C. At one point, J.C.
climbed underneath the bleachers. After Mr. Gawrych brought J _C. out from under the bleachers,
Mr, Gawrych asked two of the aides to “keep an eye on’ J.C. Later, during the same physical
education class, J.C. went missing. Administration was alerted anda school lockdown was initiated.
J.C.’s disappearance was reported to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. At approximately
6:30 p.m., the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office found J.C. deceased in a pond on the school’s
campus.
8. On or about December 6, 2012, the Hillsborough County School District notified
Respondent that he was the subject of a personnel investigation related to the events described
herein.
9, On or about January 15, 2013, the Hillsborough County School Board terminated
Respondent’s. employment.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: 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 his
effectiveness as an employee of the school board.
COUNT2: The Respondentis in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(), 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 3: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(3)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to make reasonable effort
to protect the student from conditions harmful to Jearning and/or to the student’s mental health
and/or physical health and/or safety.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
SHAWN DION LIVINGSTON
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 ora
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,
EXECUTED on this Ip day of Moveelage, 2013.
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 14-003096PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 21, 2014 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
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Oct. 21, 2014 |
Unopposed Motion to Close File filed.
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Oct. 17, 2014 |
Amended Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Oct. 16, 2014 |
Order Granting Leave to Withdraw.
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Oct. 08, 2014 |
Motion to Withdraw as Counsel (for Respondent) filed.
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Sep. 02, 2014 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for November 4, 2014; 9:30 a.m.; Tampa, FL).
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Sep. 02, 2014 |
Joint Motion for Continuance filed.
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Jul. 09, 2014 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Jul. 09, 2014 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for September 8, 2014; 9:30 a.m.; Tampa and Tallahassee, FL).
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Jul. 08, 2014 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
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Jul. 03, 2014 |
Initial Order.
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Jul. 02, 2014 |
Letter to Shawn Livingston from Gretchen Brantley regarding request for hearing filed.
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Jul. 02, 2014 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Jul. 02, 2014 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Jul. 02, 2014 |
Letter to G. Brantley from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
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Jul. 02, 2014 |
Agency referral filed.
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