Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: PATTI GUADAGNO
Judges: F. SCOTT BOYD
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Miami, Florida
Filed: Mar. 31, 2016
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.
Latest Update: Dec. 26, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
. Petitioner,
VS. oo CASE NO. 112-2307
PATTI GUADAGNO, ile - [€60FL
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against PATTI GUADAGNO. 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 608587, covering the areas
of Elementary Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), which is valid
through June 30, 2015,
2, At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Third Grade
Teacher at Marjory S. Douglas Elementary School in the Miami-Dade County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. During the 2011-2012 schoo! year, Respondent engaged in the following
inappropriate conduct with fifth grade students:
a.) Respondent would throw binders and desks during class;
b.) on one occasion, Respondent shoved paper down student A.P.'s shirt; and
PATTI GUADAGNO
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 4
¢.) on another occasion, as student Z.C. bent over to pick up crayons from the
floor, Respondent kicked ZC, in the ribs.
4, On. or about March 6, 2012, Respondent received a letter by certified mai] from
the Office of Professional Practices Services in the Florida Department of Education informing
Respondent that a case had been opened against her.
5. On or about January 17, 2014, Respondent submitted an Application for Renewal
of a Florida Educator's Professional Certificate to the Office of Human Resources, Instructional
Certification, in Miami, Florida, The application included the following questions:
a.) "Do you have any current investigative action pending in this state or any
other state against a professional license or certificate or against an application
for a professional license or certificate?"; and
b.) “Do you have any current disciplinary action pending in this state or any other
State against a professional license or certificate or against an application for a
professional license or certificate?”
In her swom responses to the questions, Respondent answered, “NO.” At the time that
Respondent submitted the Application for Renewal, her case with the Florida Department of
Education was still pending.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)(a), Florida Statutes,
in that Respondent obtained or attempted to obtain a teaching certificate by fraudulent means.
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 school board.
COUNT 3: The Respondent is in violation of Section 1012.795(1)G@), 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
PATTY GUADAGNO
Administrative Complaint
Page 3 of 4
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}(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 6A-
40.081(5)(a), Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in
all professional dealings.
COUNT 7: The Respondent is in violation of Rule GA-10.081(5)(h), Florida
Administrative Code, in that Respondent has submitted fraudulent information on a document in
connection with professional activities.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
’ PATTI GUADAGNO
Administrative Complaint
Page 4 of 4
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 (SH day of _Sury , 2014,
PAM STEWART, as
Comunissioner of Education.
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 16-001850PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Sep. 21, 2016 |
Petitioner's Motion to Re-Open Case filed. (DOAH CASE NO. 16-5551PL ESTABLISHED)
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May 18, 2016 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
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May 17, 2016 |
Motion to Cancel Hearing and to Relinquish Jurisdiction to EPC filed.
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May 05, 2016 |
Order Denying Continuance of Final Hearing.
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May 04, 2016 |
(Respondent's) Unopposed Motion to Continue and Reschedule Final Hearing filed.
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Apr. 08, 2016 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Apr. 08, 2016 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for May 31, 2016; 9:00 a.m.; Miami and Tallahassee, FL).
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Mar. 31, 2016 |
Order Re-opening File. CASE REOPENED.
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Mar. 31, 2016 |
Initial Order.
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Mar. 30, 2016 |
Petitioner's Motion to Re-open Case filed. (FORMERLY DOAH CASE NO. 15-0193PL)
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Jan. 12, 2015 |
Letter to Patti Guadagno from Gretchen Brantley regarding your case filed.
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Jan. 12, 2015 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Jan. 12, 2015 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Jan. 12, 2015 |
Letter to G. Brantley from Agency`s General Counsel requesting administrative hearing and notification of counsel of record.
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Jan. 12, 2015 |
Agency referral filed.
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