Petitioner: JIM HORNE, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS
Judges: SUZANNE F. HOOD
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Defuniak Springs, Florida
Filed: Sep. 29, 2004
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Monday, November 22, 2004.
Latest Update: Dec. 25, 2024
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JIM HORNE, as a !
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
VS. CASE NO. 023-1516-V
ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS, . :
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Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
AVNIUNID 1 RAINY
Petitioner, Jim Horne, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint
against ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary sanction of
the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant to Sections 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
1. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 596298, covering the area of
Elementary Education, which is valid through June 30, 2005.
2. Atall times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Fifth Grade Teacher
at Maude Saunders Elementary School in the Walton County Schoo} District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. During September 2002, the Respondent was investigated by the Walton County
Schoo! District for making unwanted visits to one student's home. He was issued a verbal directive
by his principal to refrain from making visits to student's homes, to not transport students unless
accompanied by another adult, and to separate church business from professional business. This
incident was not reported to the Bureau of Professional Practices Services.
ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 4
4. From 1998 through 2002, the Respondent engaged in inappropriate conduct with
female students and co-workers. These incidents include, but are not limited to,
1) calling A.E. at her home on several occasions (the Respondent made one cal}
at approximately 8:55 a.m. on Labor Day, during which he claimed that he had some assignments
for A.E. to make up, and that he wanted to "get together” with her for a few hours), following A.E.'s
aunt home from work and asking her where A-E. lived, repeatedly driving through A.E.'s
neighborhood at a very slow speed, offering to let A. stay at his house while her parents went to
a funeral out of state (and not inviting A.E.'s brother), stopping by A.E.'s aunt's home to speak with
A.E., stopping by A.E.'s home on a variety of pretenses, following A.E. and her friend at the county
fair and watching them while they were on the rides. Due to A.E.'s discomfort with the Respondent,
her mother removed her from the Respondent's school and transferred A.E. to another elementary
school for one year. A.E. is a female student whose date of birth 1s March 17, 1992;
2) visiting the home of LL. unannounced and trying to step into the home once
LL. opened the door, invading I.L.'s personal space during math tutoring sessions, following and
staring at LL. at Wal-Mart and trying to engage her in conversation. I-L. is a female student whose
date of birth is October 13, 1991;
3) making MF. miss the school bus one afternoon and then offering to take her
home himself, stopping by M.F.'s house when M.F.'s parents were not at home, calling M.F. at home
to complain that his tooth was hurting him, asking MF. to baby-sit for his child and spend the night.
MF. is a female student whose date of birth is September 13, 1987;
4) stopping by A.H.'s house unannounced when her mother was not home and
asking to come in, and pulling up outside her house in his car to talk to A.H. and her sister on
numerous occasions when they were outside. As a result of these incidents, A.H. felt "creeped out"
by the Respondent. A.H. is a female student whose date of birth is April 29, 1989;
5) stopping by the home of co-worker E.M. unannounced when E.M. was home
alone with her daughter (a fifth-grade student of the Respondent's);
6) calling the home of co-worker A.R. (who often walked the lakeyard with
another female teacher) and, while disguising his voice, stating that he'd been "watching two
beautiful teachers walk the lake," or words to that effect, visiting A.R.'s classroom to "hang out" or
"stand around” with little or nothing to discuss and stopping by her home unannounced.
During these incidents, the Respondent was unaccompanied by his wife or child.
During January 2003, the Respondent was investigated by the Walton County School District for
making unwanted visits to a student LL.’s home. On or about January 23, 2003, he was issued a
ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 4
written directive to not be in any classroom with LL., not to engage in conversation with LL., not to
walk with LL at any distance, to avoid all contact with LL. and to say "hi" to IL. only in passing.
On or about January 24, 2003, the Respondent was issued a letter or reprimand for insubordination
for violating the directive given to him on September 17, 2002. He visited the horne of I.L. on
December 27, 2002 in direct violation of the September 17, 2002 directive. During J anuary 2003,
the Respondent was investigated by the Walton County Sheriff's Department for inappropriate
contacts with students. It was determined that the allegations made against the Respondent were not
criminal in nature and the case was closed. He continues to be employed by the W alton County
Public Schools at the same elementary school.
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(c), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been guilty of gross immorality or an act involving moral turpitude.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(f), Florida Statutes, in
that Respondent has been found guilty of personal conduct which seriously reduces his effectiveness
as an employee of the school board.
COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(i), 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 rmental 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.
COUNT 6: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(3)(h), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has exploited a relationship with a
student for personal gain or advantage.
ELLIS SCOTT WILLIAMS
Administrative Complaint
Page 4 of 4
WHEREFORE, the Petitioner recommends that the Education Practices Commission
impose an appropriate penalty pursuant to the authority provided in Sections 1012.795(1) and
1012.796(7), Florida Statutes, which penalty may include a reprimand, probation, restriction of the
authorized scope of practice, administrative fine, suspension of the teaching certificate not to exceed
three years, permanent revocation of the teaching certificate, or combination thereof, for the reasons
set forth herein, and in accordance with the Explanation and Election of Rights forms which are
attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference.
Y vor
EXECUTED on this 4 day of ut 2004.
JIM BORNE, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 04-003561PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Nov. 22, 2004 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Nov. 22, 2004 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing ant to Relinquish Jurisdiction to the EPC (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
|
Nov. 18, 2004 |
Notice of Amendment (to Respondent`s Prehearing Statement) filed via facsimile.
|
Nov. 17, 2004 |
(Joint) Pre-hearing Stipulation (filed via facsimile).
|
Nov. 15, 2004 |
Notice of Filing and Service of Respondent`s Response to Request for Admissions (filed via facsimile).
|
Nov. 08, 2004 |
Notice of Service of Response to Request for Production of Documents and to Petitioner`s Interrogatories (filed by Respondent via facsimile).
|
Nov. 08, 2004 |
Respondent`s First Interrogatories to Petitioner filed.
|
Nov. 08, 2004 |
Notice of Filing and Serving Answers to Interrogatories (filed by Petitioner).
|
Nov. 08, 2004 |
Petitioner`s Response to Respondent`s Request for Production of Documents filed.
|
Nov. 04, 2004 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (E. Williams) filed.
|
Oct. 18, 2004 |
Petitioner`s Request for Admissions filed.
|
Oct. 14, 2004 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Oct. 14, 2004 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for November 23, 2004; 10:00 a.m.; Defuniak Springs, FL).
|
Oct. 07, 2004 |
Notice of Service of Interrogatories filed by Petitioner.
|
Oct. 07, 2004 |
Petitioner`s Request for Production of Documents filed.
|
Oct. 07, 2004 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Oct. 07, 2004 |
Notice of Appearance of Counsel for Petitioner (filed by J. Holder, Esquire).
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Sep. 29, 2004 |
Letter to Ms. Richards from A. Lunningham regarding failed settlement negotiations filed.
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Finding of Probable Cause filed.
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Notice of Appearance (filed by E. Moore, Esquire).
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Agency referral filed.
|
Sep. 29, 2004 |
Initial Order.
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