Petitioner: BAY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
Respondent: KATHERINE SLIMP
Judges: DIANE CLEAVINGER
Agency: County School Boards
Locations: Panama City, Florida
Filed: Jan. 09, 2015
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.
Latest Update: Dec. 23, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
WILLIAM V. HUSFELT, as Superintendent
of Schools, District of Bay County, Florida,
Petitioner.
BCSB Case No. 15-01
vs. DOAH Case No.
KATHERINE SLIMP,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, William V. Husfelt, as Superintendent of Schools, District of
Bay County, Florida (the “Superintendent”), files this Administrative Complaint
against Katherine Slimp, Respondent. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate
disciplinary sanctions against the Respondent pursuant to Chapter 120;
Section 1012.33, Florida Statutes; and the policies of the Bay District School
Board.
The Petitioner alleges as follows:
1, The Respondent is employed as a teacher at Arnold High School for
the School District of Bay County.
2. The Respondent is classified as instructional staff and a continuing
contract employee under the Master Contract between the Bay District School
Board and the Association of Bay County Educators (the “Collective Bargaining
Agreement”).
3. On or about October 21, 2014, a student reported to his parent and
the assistant administrator that Respondent had called him a “worthless piece of
crap.”
4. When asked about the incident, Respondent confirmed the student’s
statement, but claimed she left off the last word. Respondent was counseled on
expectations of professional behavior and offered options on how to handle the
situation differently.
5. On or about November 4, 2014, students reported to the assistant
principal that Respondent engaged in unprofessional communications with several
students in her classroom. These communications included telling a student “I
don’t know where your vagina has been” after the student claimed that she placed
her cell phone there and another comment about placing a stick on a another
student’s rear end to make sure he “didn’t fall into” the vagina.
6. When asked about the incident, Respondent confirmed the students’
statements, but claimed that the whole class was making sexual jokes at the time
and that the student she made the stick comment to was 18.
nm
7. The next day another student reported to the assistant principal that
Respondent pulled him aside and asked him if he had “any dirt on other teachers”
to get administration off her back.
8. On November 7, 2014, the Superintendent suspended Respondent
with pay and scheduled an informal hearing with Respondent. A copy of the
Supcrintendent’s letter to the Respondent is attached as Exhibit “A.”
9. On November 10, 2014, Respondent met with the Superintendent to
discuss the circumstances surrounding the allegations.
10. On November 12, 2014, the Superintendent continued Respondent’s
suspension and recommended that the School Board proceed toward terminating
Respondent’s employment. A copy of the Superintendent’s letter to the
Respondent is attached as Exhibit “B.”
11. On November 18, 2014, the Bay District School Board heard and
accepted the Superintendent’s recommendation to suspend the Respondent without
pay and to proceed to terminate her employment. A copy of the Superintendent’s
recommendation to the Board is attached as Exhibit “C.”
12. On November 20, 2014, by Certified Return Receipt Mail, counsel
for Bay District School Board notified Respondent of the Board’s decision and
Respondent’s right to request an administrative hearing. A copy of the School
Board Attorney’s letter to the Respondent is attached as Exhibit “D.”
13. On December 1, 2014, Respondent's attorney requested an
administrative hearing via email. A copy of Respondent's attorney's email to the
Petitioner's attorney is attached as Exhibit “E..”
14. The allegations set forth herein establish good and sufficient reasons
to terminate the employment of the Respondent under her contract with the Bay
District School Board, the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Florida Statutes, the
Code of Ethics of the Florida Department of Education and the policies of the Bay
County School Board.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner recommends that the School Board of Bay
County, Florida uphold the suspension of the Respondent and dismiss her as an
employee of said School District for the reasons set forth above.
DATED this 7 day of January, 2015.
/ } ?
nal (4 ie é Pe ce
WILLIAM V. HUSFELT ERT C. JACKSON
Superintendent of Schools Florida Bar No. 0149519
School District of Bay County, Florida Harrison Sale McCloy
304 Magnolia Avenue
Post Office Box 1579
Panama City, Florida 32402-1579
raicksond LHISMeLaw.com
tadkins @ FISMeLaw.com
Telephone: (850) 769-3434
Facsimile: (850) 769-6121
Attorneys for Petitioner
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing
Administrative Complaint was e-mailed to Anthony D. Demma, Esq. at
tdemma@ meyerbrookslaw.com, this 9°_ day of January, 2015.
oberf C. Jackson
Wituiast V. HusFeELT JIT
SUPERINTENDENT
1311 Ba'boa Avenue
Panama City, Florida
32401-2080
(850) 767-4100
tearing Impaired Access
(800) 955-8770 Voice
(800) 955-8771 TOD
way. bay.k12.fL.us
Board Members:
Jerry Register
District 1
Ginger Littleton
District 2
Joe Wayne Walker
District 3
Ryan Neves
District 4
Steve Moss
District 5
November 7, 2014
Mrs. Katherine Slimp
P.O Box 18186
Panama City Bch., FL 32417
Dear Mrs. Slimp:
Effective today, you are suspended with pay per School Board Policy #4.113. I have
scheduled an informal hearing with you on Monday, November 10, 2014, at 4:00
p.m. in my office. Please feel free to bring union representation to that meeting if
you desire.
Sincerely,
William V. Husfelt
Superintendent
Bay District Schools
CC: Keith Bland, Principal
Personnel File
EXHIBIT
1 A
Wiuuaw V. HusFeLt HIE
SupERINTENDENT
1311 Balboa Avenue
Panama City, Florida
32401-2080
{850) 767-4100
Hearing Impaired Access
{800) 955-8770 Voice
(800) 955-8771 TOD
wiv bay.k12.fl.us
Board Members:
Jerry Register
District 1
Ginger Littleton
District 2
Joe Wayne Walker
District 3
Ryan Neves
District 4
Steve Moss
District 5
November 12, 2014
Mrs. Katherine Slimp
P.O. Box 18186
Panama City Beach, FL 32417
Dear Mrs. Slimp:
You are currently suspended with pay and I will be recommending that you be
suspended without pay and that the district move toward your termination at the
School Board meeting scheduled for November 18, 2014. A personnel hearing for
you has been scheduled for that day at 1:30 p.m. and you may choose to speak at
that hearing with, or without, union representation. You may also choose to
resign your position with Bay District Schools at any time before the personnel
hearing commences. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or
need additional information.
Sincerely,
William V. Husfelt
Superintendent
ce. Keith Bland, Principal of J.R. Arnold High School
Personnel File
EXHIBIT
1 8B
Wituan V. Husrett 11
SUPERINTENDENT
1311 Balboa Avenue
Panama City, Florida
32401-2080
(850) 767-4100
Hearing Impaired Access
(800) 955-8770 Voice
(800) 955-8771 TDD
www.bay.k12.fl.us
Board Members:
Jerry Register
District 1
Ginger Littleton
District 2
Joe Wayne Walker
District 3
Ryan Neves
District 4
Steve Moss
District 5
TO: School Board Members and Attorneys
FROM: William Husfelt, Superintendent \\s :
RE: Recommendation
DATE: November 12, 2014
At the November 18, 2014 Board Meeting | will be recommending that Katherine Slimp
be suspended without pay pending termination for “misconduct in office.” |am making
this recommendation based on the fact that Mrs. Slimp violated:
1. The Code of Ethics from the Florida Department of Education. Specifically 3(a),
3(e), 3(g) which relate to protecting students from unnecessary embarrassment
or disparagement.
2. School Board Policy 3.141 which relates to inappropriate comments to students.
cc. Personnel File
Keith Bland, Principal of J.R. Arnold High School
EXHIBIT
ic
HARRISON SALE McCLoy
FRANKLIN R. HARRISON
fhattison@HSMclaw.com
CORRESPONDENCE
Postal Drawer 1$79, Panama City, FL 32402
PANAMA CITY OFFICE SANDESTIN OF FICE
304 Magnolia Avenue 495 Grand Blvd. Suite 206
Attorneys At Law Panama City. FL 32401 Miramar Beach, FL 32550
T 850.769.3434 F 850.769.6121 T 650.269.7218
November 20, 2014
VIA REGULAR AND CERTIFIED MAIL
RECEIPT NO. 7011 3500 0001 1446 8445
Ms. Katherine Slimp
Post Office Box 18186
Panama City Beach, Florida 32417
Dear Ms. Slimp:
On November 18, 2014, the Bay County School Board accepted the Superintendent’s
recommendation that you be suspended without pay and proceed to terminate your employment
with the Bay County School Board.
If you desire an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge pursuant to
§§120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes and School Board policy 1.105, please notify this office
within twenty-one (21) days of reccipt of this letter. Any request should be directed to the Bay
County School Board, c/o Franklin R. Harrison, Post Office Drawer 1579, Panama City, Florida
32402.
Should the School Board not receive a timely request for a hearing, you will be
terminated as an employee.
Very truly yours,
MIG ST yp oN
; aa ECCLL-U
Franklin R. Harrison
FRH/ss
ec: William V. Husfelt, Superintendent
Sharon Michalik, Executive Director for Human Resources
Anthony D. Demma, Esq.
Ncholas A. Beninate + Gtandon A Burg + J. Cole Davis + Robert A. Fleming, IN + Feanklin R. Harasan » Heather K. Hudson + Mobest C Jackson + Andrew B, levy
Dion Ross McCloy, Jr + Dion J. Monuz - Amy F. Myers + Kevin 0. Obos, Uhackee + C. Andrew Weddle » H. Alan Thompson (1937 -2006)
EXHIBIT
Pos
Docket for Case No: 15-000147TTS
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Apr. 14, 2015 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Apr. 13, 2015 |
Consented Motion to Withdraw Hearing Request and Close Case File filed.
|
Apr. 03, 2015 |
Petitioner's Responses to Respondent's Second Request for Admissions filed.
|
Apr. 03, 2015 |
Petitioner's Responses to Respondent's Second Request for Production filed.
|
Apr. 01, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition to Preserve Testimony (of Liz Dagen) filed.
|
Mar. 03, 2015 |
Respondent's Second Request for Admissions filed.
|
Mar. 03, 2015 |
Respondent's Notice of Service of Third Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
|
Mar. 02, 2015 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing (hearing set for April 20, 2015; 10:00 a.m., Central Time; Panama City, FL).
|
Feb. 27, 2015 |
Respondent's Second Request to Petitioner for Production of Documents filed.
|
Feb. 27, 2015 |
Respondent's Notice of Service of Second Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
|
Feb. 26, 2015 |
(Petitioner's) Motion for Continuance filed.
|
Feb. 18, 2015 |
Petitioner's Responses to Respondent's First Request for Production filed.
|
Feb. 18, 2015 |
Petitioner's Responses to Respondent's First Request for Admissions filed.
|
Feb. 13, 2015 |
Notice of Filing Answers to First Set of Interrogatories filed.
|
Feb. 06, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of Katherine Slimp) filed.
|
Feb. 04, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Depositions (of Sharon Michalik, William Husfelt, B.A., J.H., Terry Hagler, Gordon Pongratz, and Keith Bland) filed.
|
Feb. 04, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Depositions filed.
|
Jan. 20, 2015 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Jan. 20, 2015 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for March 19, 2015; 10:00 a.m., Central Time; Panama City, FL).
|
Jan. 15, 2015 |
Supplemental Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Jan. 15, 2015 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Jan. 14, 2015 |
Respondent's Notice of Service of First Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
|
Jan. 14, 2015 |
Respondent's First Requests for Production filed.
|
Jan. 14, 2015 |
Respondent's First Request for Admissions filed.
|
Jan. 09, 2015 |
Initial Order.
|
Jan. 09, 2015 |
Request for Administrative Hearing filed.
|
Jan. 09, 2015 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Jan. 09, 2015 |
Referral Letter filed.
|