Petitioner: DR. ERIC J. SMITH, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: GWENDOLYN JOHNSON
Judges: EDWARD T. BAUER
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: West Palm Beach, Florida
Filed: Feb. 04, 2011
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, August 24, 2011.
Latest Update: Jan. 08, 2025
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
DR. ERIC J. SMITH, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NQ, 078-3683
GWENDOLYN JOHNSON,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT.
Petitioner, Dr, Eric J. Smith, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against GWENDOLYN JOHNSON. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary
sanction of the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant to Sections 1012.3 15, 1012.795, and
1042.796, Florida Statutes, and pursuant toe 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
I. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 381823, covering the areas of
Elementary Education, Guidance and Counseling, School Principal, and Occupational Specialist,
which is valid through June 30, 2012.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Principal at
Independence Middle School in the Palm Beach County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3, During August 2007 through October 2007, Respondent demonstrated inappropriate
and unprofessional conduct. Respondent caused, and failed to correct, inaccurate Full Time
Equivalent (FTE) student counts reported to the School District, thereby inflating student enrollment
numbers. Respondent would not allow members of her staffto correct the student enrollment count
ve sohagt
to accurately reflect those students which were “no shows” at her school.
Filed February 4, 2011 11:11 AM Division of Administrative Hearings
GWENDOLYN JOHNSON
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
4. On or about June 3, 2009, the School Board of Palm Beach County, suspended
Respondent without pay for twenty (20) days.
5. The allegations involving Respondent’s misconduct were reported in the local news
media.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(d), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been guilty of gross immorality or an act involving moral turpitude as
defined by rule of the State Board of Education.
COUNT 2: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(g), 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)(), 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(4)(b), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally distorted or
misrepresented facts concerning an educational matter in direct or indirect public expression.
COUNT 5: 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.
COUNT6: The Respondentis in violation of Rule 6B. 1006(5)(h), Florida Administrative
Code, in that Respondent has submitted fraudulent information on a document in connection with
professional activities.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
GWENDOLYN JOHNSON
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 years or
permanently.
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 11-000569
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Aug. 24, 2011 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Aug. 24, 2011 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
|
Aug. 03, 2011 |
Order Allowing Withdrawal of Counsel.
|
Aug. 02, 2011 |
Unopposed Second Amended Motion to Withdraw filed.
|
Jul. 28, 2011 |
Order on Amended Motion to Withdraw.
|
Jul. 25, 2011 |
Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Amended Motion to Withdraw filed.
|
Jul. 22, 2011 |
Amended Motion to Withdraw filed.
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Jul. 20, 2011 |
Motion to Withdraw filed.
|
Jul. 06, 2011 |
Notice of Transfer.
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May 19, 2011 |
Respondent's Counsel's Notice of Unavailability filed.
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Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of J. Patten and J. Peacock) filed.
|
Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of J. Sapyra, K. Desjarlais, A. Johnson, and S. Miller) filed.
|
Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of J. Hatton, B. Terembes, M. Ferrer, and A. Costello) filed.
|
Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of A. Green, L. Chi, B. Roland, and A. Binns) filed.
|
Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of A. Jones, D. Shore, L. McGivern, and P. Palandro) filed.
|
Apr. 20, 2011 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (of J. Daversa, K. Davis, N. Rodgers, and K. Carden) filed.
|
Apr. 14, 2011 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for September 13 and 14, 2011; 9:00 a.m.; West Palm Beach and Tallahassee, FL).
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Apr. 13, 2011 |
Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Motion for Continuance of Final Hearing filed.
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Apr. 12, 2011 |
Respondent, Gwendolyn Johnson's Second Set of Interrogatories to Petitioner, Dr. Eric J. Smith, as Commisioner of Education filed.
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Apr. 11, 2011 |
Respondent's Motion for Continuance of Final Hearing filed.
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Apr. 07, 2011 |
Petitioner's Notice of Compliance filed.
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Apr. 07, 2011 |
Petitioner's Amended Answers to Respondents First Set of Interrogatories filed.
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Apr. 01, 2011 |
Order on Motion for Protective Order.
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Apr. 01, 2011 |
Order on Motion to Compel.
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Mar. 31, 2011 |
Respondent's Reply to Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Emergency Motion to Compel/Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Motion for Protective Order and Petitioner's Motion to Compel filed.
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Mar. 31, 2011 |
Notice of Filing.
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Mar. 30, 2011 |
Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Emergency Motion to Compel/Petitioner's Response to Respondent's Motion for Protective Order and Petitioner's Motion to Compel filed.
|
Mar. 28, 2011 |
Respondent, Gwendolyn Johnson's Responses and Objections to Petitioner's First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent filed.
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Mar. 28, 2011 |
Motion for Protective Order regarding Notice of Taking Deposition filed.
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Mar. 28, 2011 |
Respondent, Gwendolyn Johnson's Response to Petitioner's Request for Production filed.
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Mar. 25, 2011 |
Notice of Cancellation of Depositions (Bruce Roland and Kathy Carden) filed.
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Mar. 25, 2011 |
Notice of Cancellation of Depositions (Carol Lee and Ann Costello) filed.
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Mar. 25, 2011 |
Respondent, Gwendolyn Johnson's Responses to Petitioner's Request for Admissions filed.
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Mar. 24, 2011 |
Respondent's Emergency Motion to Compel Better Answers and to Overrule Objections filed.
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Mar. 07, 2011 |
Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for May 19 and 20, 2011; 9:00 a.m.; West Palm Beach and Tallahassee, FL).
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Mar. 04, 2011 |
Petitioner's Motion to Reset Final Hearing filed.
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Feb. 18, 2011 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Production to Respondent filed.
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Feb. 18, 2011 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
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Feb. 18, 2011 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's First Set of Interrogatories filed.
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Feb. 17, 2011 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
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Feb. 16, 2011 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Feb. 16, 2011 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for April 14, 2011; 9:00 a.m.; West Palm Beach and Tallahassee, FL).
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Feb. 04, 2011 |
Initial Order.
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Feb. 04, 2011 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Feb. 04, 2011 |
Agency referral filed.
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Feb. 04, 2011 |
Letter to K. Richards from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
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Feb. 04, 2011 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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