Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: LAURA MAGNASCO
Judges: F. SCOTT BOYD
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Green Cove Springs, Florida
Filed: Feb. 15, 2013
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Thursday, April 11, 2013.
Latest Update: Jan. 09, 2025
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
WS. CASE NO, 101-2489
LAURA MAGNASCO,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
- Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative Complaint
against LAURA MAGNASCO. 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 6B-1.006, Florida Administrative Code, Principles of Professional
Conduct for the ducation Profession in Florida, said sanctions specifically set forth in Sections
1012.795(1) and 1012.796(7), Florida Statutes. ; ;
The Petitioner alleges:
JURISDICTION
PUR SLT A SA
1. The Respondent holds Florida Educator's Certificate 639754, covering the areas of
Barly Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and English for Speakers of Other Languages
(BSOL), which is valid through June 30, 2015.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Kindergarten
Teacher at Doctors Tnlet Elementary School in the Clay County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS:
3. During the 2010-2011 school year, the Respondent purchased and ingested cocaine
on several occasions. T he respondent purchased cocaine from Kimberlee Harris, a Clay County
School District teacher. The Respondent’s purchase of cocaine from Kimberlee Barris was
discovered in the course of @ criminal investigation of Ms. Harris.
LAURA MAGNASCO
Administrative Complaint
’ Page 2 of 2
4. On or about February 9, 2011, the Clay County School District suspended the
Respondent from her position as a result of the allegations involving the Respondent’s purchase of
cocaine.
5. On or about April 21, 2011, the Clay County School Board accepted the
Respondent’s resignation in lieu of termination.
The Petitioner charges: _ ,
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(d), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent bas 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.
WHEREFORE, based on the reasons set forth berein 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.
EXECUTED on this jah day of Depleabac, 2012.
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 13-000589PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Apr. 15, 2013 |
Return of Service (Detective Gary Lavaron) filed.
|
Apr. 15, 2013 |
Return of Service (Detective M.C. Hanlin) filed.
|
Apr. 11, 2013 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Apr. 10, 2013 |
Unopposed Motion to Cancel Formal Hearing and Relinquish Jurisdiction in Absence of Disputed Issues of Material Fact filed.
|
Apr. 05, 2013 |
Respondent's Notice of Service of Answers to Interrogatories filed.
|
Apr. 05, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Respondent's Response to Petitioner's First Request for Production of Documents filed.
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Apr. 04, 2013 |
Notice of Taking Depositions (of L. Magnasco) filed.
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Mar. 29, 2013 |
Notice of Transfer.
|
Feb. 21, 2013 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Feb. 21, 2013 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for April 30, 2013; 10:00 a.m.; Green Cove Springs, FL).
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Feb. 20, 2013 |
Petitioner's Request for Admissions filed.
|
Feb. 20, 2013 |
Petitioner's First Request for Production of Documents filed.
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Feb. 20, 2013 |
Notice of Service of Petitioner's First Interrogatories filed.
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Feb. 20, 2013 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
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Feb. 15, 2013 |
Initial Order.
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Feb. 15, 2013 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Feb. 15, 2013 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Feb. 15, 2013 |
Letter to K. Richards from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
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Feb. 15, 2013 |
Agency referral filed.
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