Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: ROBERT GARLAND
Judges: LISA SHEARER NELSON
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Tavares, Florida
Filed: Jun. 24, 2015
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, September 8, 2015.
Latest Update: Mar. 03, 2025
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 123-3208
ROBERT DOUGLAS GARLAND,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against ROBERT DOUGLAS GARLAND. The Petitioner secks 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:
JURISDICTION
1. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 890308, covering the area of
Mathematics, which is valid through June 30, 2017.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as an Eighth Grade
Mathematics Teacher at Clermont Middle School in the Lake County School District,
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. During the 2012-2013 school year, Respondent threatened to hit students with a
baseball bat when they misbehaved. .
4, During the 2012-2013 school year, Respondent forcefully kicked the desk of a
student while the student was seated at the desk.
5. On or about May 9, 2013, a 15-year-old, male student, W.M., repeatedly asked
Respondent a question. Respondent reacted by grabbing W.M. by the shoulder and Jeaned down
ROBERT DOUGLAS GARLAND
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
to loudly state the answer, “it’s gonna be a freaking ratio!,” or words to that effect, in W.M.’s
ear.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(j), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has violated the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education
Profession prescribed by State Board of Education rules.
ROLE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 2: ‘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 learning and/or to the student’s mental
health and/or physical health and/or safety.
COUNT 3: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(3)(e), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally exposed a
student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
ROBERT DOUGLAS GARLAND
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 yeats or permanently.
EXECUTED on this [O** day of _ April 2015.
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 15-003624PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Sep. 08, 2015 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Sep. 04, 2015 |
(Petitioner's) Unopposed Motion to Close File filed.
|
Aug. 27, 2015 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing (hearing set for November 17, 2015; 9:30 a.m.; Tavares, FL).
|
Aug. 17, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Telephone Deposition of Veronica Best filed.
|
Aug. 17, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition of Genevie "Paige" Visser filed.
|
Aug. 17, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition of Brittany O'Nishea filed.
|
Aug. 17, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition of Wazir S. Mohamed filed.
|
Aug. 17, 2015 |
Notice of Taking Deposition of Zachary Blackwell filed.
|
Aug. 12, 2015 |
(Respondent's) Unopposed Motion for Continuance filed.
|
Jul. 30, 2015 |
Certificate of Service of Discovery filed.
|
Jul. 23, 2015 |
Respondent's First Request for Production of Documents filed.
|
Jul. 13, 2015 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Jul. 13, 2015 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for September 3, 2015; 9:30 a.m.; Tavares, FL).
|
Jun. 25, 2015 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Initial Order.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Letter to Robert Garland from Gretchen Brantley regarding your case filed.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Letter to G. Brantley from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
|
Jun. 24, 2015 |
Agency referral filed.
|