Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: MOLLY STEWART
Judges: E. GARY EARLY
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Ocala, Florida
Filed: Oct. 19, 2018
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Monday, December 3, 2018.
Latest Update: Oct. 02, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 178-0631
MOLLY STEWART,
Respondent.
/
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against MOLLY STEWART. The Petitioner seeks the appropriate disciplinary
sanction of the Respondent’s educator’s certificate pursuant to sections 102.315, 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
L. The Respondent holds Florida Educator’s Certificate 731630, covering the area of
Elementary Education, which is valid through June 30, 2021.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Second Grade
Teacher at Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary School in the Marion County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. On or about fe ae Respondent signed a Security Agreement for District-
Based Assessments, whereby she agreed that when administering district assessments, such as
End of Course exams, she would refrain from activities that may threaten the integrity of the
exam, including:
a) Coaching, changing, or otherwise interfering with student responses; and
MOLLY STEWART
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 3
b) Causing individual, school, or district achievement to be inaccurately measured or
reported.
4, Despite having signed the Security Agreement for District-Based Assessments, on
or about winiic administering the English End of Course exam to her second grade
students, Respondent provided assistance to students, including:
a) Explaining exam questions to students;
b) Indicating to students when their answers were incorrect or telling students to re-
check incorrect answers; and
c) Reading exam questions or answers to students.
5. Asa result of Respondent’s conduct alleged herein, the Marion County School
District suspended Respondent’s employment for a period of 10 days without pay.
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: 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 2: The Respondent is in violation of section 1012.795(1)q), 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 3: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(2)(a)1, 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 4: The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(2)(c)1, Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has failed to maintain honesty in
all professional dealings.
(SIGNATURE ON FOLLOWING PAGE)
MOLLY STEWART
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.
4th
EXECUTED onthis ]6™ dayor_(Ylarch 2018.
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
Siate of Florida
Docket for Case No: 18-005536PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Dec. 03, 2018 |
Order Relinquishing Jurisdiction Without Prejudice and Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Dec. 03, 2018 |
Unopposed Motion to Close File filed.
|
Nov. 26, 2018 |
Petitioner's Motion to Deem Facts Admitted and Relinquish Jurisdiction to the Education Practices Commission filed.
|
Nov. 07, 2018 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Nov. 07, 2018 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for December 19, 2018; 9:30 a.m.; Ocala, FL).
|
Oct. 31, 2018 |
Certificate of Service of Discovery filed.
|
Oct. 31, 2018 |
Petitioner's Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Oct. 22, 2018 |
Initial Order.
|
Oct. 19, 2018 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Oct. 19, 2018 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Oct. 19, 2018 |
Agency referral filed.
|