Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: CARLOS DIXON
Judges: J. LAWRENCE JOHNSTON
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Tampa, Florida
Filed: Sep. 04, 2015
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Tuesday, October 27, 2015.
Latest Update: Dec. 24, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 123-3133
CARLOS M. DIXON,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against CARLOS M. DIXON. 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 953759, covering the areas
of Health and Physical Education, which is valid through June 30, 2017.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Physical
Education Teacher at Strawberry Crest High School in the Hillsborough County School District,
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. In or around Apri! 2013, Respondent engaged in an inappropriate relationship
with S.C., a seventeen year old, female student. Respondent had a picture of S.C.'s vagina on his
phone.
4, On or about August 3, 2013, Respondent was arrested and charged with
Possession of Child Pornography. On or about June 12, 2014, Respondent pled guilty to the
lesser charge of Felony Battery and adjudication was withheld. A condition of Respondent’s
sentencing was that he surrender his Florida Educator’s Certificate for permanent revocation.
CARLOS M. DIXON
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(f), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent has been convicted or found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty to,
regardless of adjudication of guilt, a misdemeanor, felony, or any other criminal charge, other
than a minor traffic violation.
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
effectiveness as an employee of the schoo! board.
COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)j), 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 6A-
10.081(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 6A-
10.081(3)(h), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has exploited a relationship with
a student for personal gain or advantage.
COUNT 6: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(4)(c), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has used institutional privileges
for personal gain or advantage.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
CARLOS M. DIXON
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.
EXECUTED on this [5 #8 day of April 2015,
Ly heer
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 15-004984PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 27, 2015 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Oct. 12, 2015 |
Petitioner's First Request for Admissions to Respondent filed.
|
Oct. 12, 2015 |
Petitioner's Motion to Deem Facts Admitted and Relinquish Jurisdiction to the Education Practices Commission filed.
|
Sep. 16, 2015 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Sep. 16, 2015 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for November 9, 2015; 9:30 a.m.; Tampa and Tallahassee, FL).
|
Sep. 10, 2015 |
Certificate of Service of Discovery filed.
|
Sep. 10, 2015 |
Petitioner's Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Sep. 08, 2015 |
Initial Order.
|
Sep. 04, 2015 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Sep. 04, 2015 |
Agency referral filed.
|
Sep. 04, 2015 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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