Petitioner: JOHN L. WINN, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: JUDY C. KARPIS
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Miami, Florida
Filed: May 09, 2008
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Thursday, July 24, 2008.
Latest Update: Dec. 22, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA CUTS
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JOHN L. WINN, as OD Deo & Ca
Commissioner of Education, Vb, N ty at
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Petitioner, BR, a Ss
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vs. CASE NO, 023-0978
JUDY C. KARPIS,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, John L. Winn, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint
against JUDY C. KARPIS. 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 533966, covering the area of
Dental Assistant, which is valid through June 30, 2009.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Teacher at Dr.
Michael M. Krup Senior High School and Norland Middle School in the Miami-Dade County School
District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. During the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 school years, Respondent received overall
unsatisfactory evaluations at two different schools. Respondent also received numerous letters of
reprimand for unprofessional behavior; battery on students and staff; inappropriate discipline;
demeaning comments and intentional disparagement of students; threats and harassment of
colleagues, administration, and parents; frequent absences; insubordination; and interfering with
investigations and witnesses. Examples of Respondent’s behavior include, but are not limited to:
: in
JUDY C. KARPIS
65 SEP -7 PM 1:24 Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 4
a. grabbing a 12-year-old female student’s arm and digging her nails into the
student’s skin;
b. refusing to allow a female student to go to the bathroom after being informed
that she had started menstruation, causing the student to soil herself and be
humiliated in front of the class;
c. scratching a teacher’s aide on the arm with a sharp metal object, causing the
aide to bleed and require a tetanus shot;
d. punching a male student in the chest, then threatening to write a referral for
‘the student if he wrote a statement about it;
e. demanding that the ESE counselor tear up student statements about her
behavior, and offering to tear up student referrals in exchange;
f. referring a student to the office for allegedly threatening to shoot Respondent
with a gun, when Respondent did not hear the student say anything of that
nature;
g. screaming at parents during conferences; and
h. repeatedly blowing a police whistle at her students for over an hour.
4. As aresult of Respondent’s behavior, a large number of students were removed from
her class, and administration received frequent oral and written complaints from parents, teachers,
and other staff, requesting that Respondent be removed from the school. On or about June 10, 2002,
the school board placed Respondent on alternate home assignment. On or about May 29, 2003,
Respondent resigned. On or about June 19, 2003, the school board notified Respondent that she was
precluded from future employment with the district.
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 her effectiveness
as an employee of the school board.
COUNT3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(i), Florida Statutes, in
ose sstON
: JUDY C. KARPIS
OS SEP-7 PM 12h Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 4
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 mental 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)(f), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally violated or denied a
student’s legal rights.
COUNT 7: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(3)(g), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has harassed or discriminated against
a student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs,
marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall
make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
COUNT 8 : The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(4)(e), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has offered gratuity, gift, or favor to
obtain special advantages.
COUNT 9: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in all
professional dealings.
COUNT 10: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(5)(d), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has engaged in harassment or
discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interfered: with an individual’s performance of
professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which created a
hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and further, failed to make
reasonable effort to assure that each individual was protected from such harassment or
discrimination.
COUNT 11: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
OHS
JUDY C. KARPIS
OSSEP-7 PM I: 2k Administrative Complaint
Page 4 of 4
1.006(5)(e), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has made malicious or intentionally
false statements about a colleague.
COUNT 12: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6B-
1.006(5)(), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has used coercive means or promised
special treatment to influence professional judgments of colleagues.
COUNT 13: . The Respondent is in violation of Rule 6B.1006(5)(o), Florida Administrative
Code, in that Respondent sought reprisal against any individual who has reported an allegation of
a violation of the Florida School Code or State Board of Education Rules as defined in-Section
1012.795(1), Florida Statutes.
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.
EXECUTED on this 22. day of Sal 4 , 2005.
JOHN L. WINN, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 08-002242PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jul. 24, 2008 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jul. 23, 2008 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
|
Jul. 03, 2008 |
Order Granting Continuance (parties to advise status by September 5, 2008).
|
Jul. 02, 2008 |
Respondent`s Motion to Continue Final Hearing filed.
|
Jun. 23, 2008 |
Respondent`s Notice of Serving Responses to Petitioner`s Request for Admissions filed.
|
May 21, 2008 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s Request for Production to Respondent filed.
|
May 21, 2008 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
|
May 21, 2008 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner`s First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent filed.
|
May 20, 2008 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
May 20, 2008 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for July 30 and 31, 2008; 9:00 a.m.; Miami and Tallahassee, FL).
|
May 14, 2008 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
May 09, 2008 |
Initial Order.
|
May 09, 2008 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
May 09, 2008 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
May 09, 2008 |
Letter to K. Richards from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
|
May 09, 2008 |
Agency referral filed.
|