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PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION vs MORISA FONTAINE, 16-007619PL (2016)

Court: Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida Number: 16-007619PL Visitors: 36
Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: MORISA FONTAINE
Judges: F. SCOTT BOYD
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: West Palm Beach, Florida
Filed: Dec. 30, 2016
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Friday, February 3, 2017.

Latest Update: Dec. 22, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION PAM STEWART, as Commissioner of Education, Petitioner, VS. CASE NO. 134-2830 MORISA JO FONTAINE, Respondent. ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint against MORISA JO FONTAINE. 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: JURISDICTION 1. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 799152, covering the area of Guidance and Counseling, which is valid through June 30, 2017. 2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Guidance Counselor at Santaluces High School in the Palm Beach County School District. MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS 3, From 2012 through 2014, Respondent changed course codes in the Palm Beach School District Data Base. These changes resulted in students meeting graduation ements when in fact they had not met graduation requirements. This behavior includes, but is not limited r around January 24, 2014, wherein Respondent directed a data processor to (elective) to Y (required for graduation) so that A.S., a student, d science courses. to, an instance { change a course code from I would qualify for graduation without taking require MORISA JO FONTAINE Administrative Complaint Page 2 of 2 The Petitioner charges: STATUTE VIOLATIONS COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)q), 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 2: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A- 10.081(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in all professional dealings. COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Rule 6A-10.081(5)(h), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has submitted fraudulent information on a document in comnection with professional activities. 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 tn 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 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 vears or permanently. EXECUTED on this 4 rhen > PAM STEWART, as Commissioner of Education State of Florida

Docket for Case No: 16-007619PL
Issue Date Proceedings
Feb. 03, 2017 Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
Feb. 02, 2017 Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
Jan. 20, 2017 Notice of Serving First Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
Jan. 20, 2017 Request to Produce filed.
Jan. 13, 2017 Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
Jan. 13, 2017 Notice of Service of Petitioner's First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent filed.
Jan. 13, 2017 Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Production to Respondent filed.
Jan. 09, 2017 Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
Jan. 09, 2017 Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for February 24, 2017; 9:00 a.m.; West Palm Beach and Tallahassee, FL).
Jan. 03, 2017 Notice of Appearance filed.
Dec. 30, 2016 Initial Order.
Dec. 30, 2016 Letter to Charles Whitelock from Mark Wilensky advising of counsel filed.
Dec. 30, 2016 Administrative Complaint filed.
Dec. 30, 2016 Election of Rights filed.
Dec. 30, 2016 Agency referral filed.
Source:  Florida - Division of Administrative Hearings

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