Petitioner: PAM STEWART, AS COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Respondent: KARLA MERCHANT-PARRISH
Judges: LAWRENCE P. STEVENSON
Agency: Department of Education
Locations: Jacksonville, Florida
Filed: Oct. 30, 2018
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Thursday, January 17, 2019.
Latest Update: Dec. 24, 2024
FROM: The Education Practices Commission
TO: DOAH Clerk of Court
RE: REDACTION OF CERTAIN LANGUAGE
The Education Practices Commission reviewed and redacted certain verbiage
within the document(s) included prior to transferring the case to DOAH so that
individual student(s) information cannot be identified in accordance with Section
1002.221(1), Fla. Stat. (2018).
STATE OF FLORIDA
EDUCATION PRACTICES COMMISSION
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education,
Petitioner,
vs. CASE NO. 178-1752
KARLA MERCHANT-PARRISH,
Respondent.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, Pam Stewart, as Commissioner of Education, files this Administrative
Complaint against) KARLA MERCHANT-PARRISH. 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 1042254, covering the area
of Physical Education, which is valid through June 30, 2022.
2. At all times pertinent hereto, the Respondent was employed as a Physical
Education Teacher at John E. Ford PK-8 School in the Duval County School District.
MATERIAL ALLEGATIONS
3. On or -bou Respondent failed to protect = a Gch
HE student, during dismissal time when she allowed [Jto walk home instead of being
picked up by [i parent. Respondent allowed to walk home despite [J being clearly
identified as a student whose parent would pick ip. Respondent failed to check s “tag”
identifying Jas such as required by the school’s dismissal procedures. was found
wondering and crying several blocks away from school by a concemed citizen. was off
school grounds without adult supervision for approximately twenty minutes.
KARLA MERCHANT-PARRISH
Administrative Complaint
Page 2 of 2
The Petitioner charges:
STATUTE VIOLATIONS
COUNT 1: 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 2: 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 3: _ The allegations of misconduct set forth herein are in violation of Rule 6A-
10.081(2)(a)5, Florida Administrative Code, in that Respondent has intentionally exposed a
student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
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 \ \* day of June._ , 2018.
/ )
th Pee
PAM STEWART, as
Commissioner of Education
State of Florida
Docket for Case No: 18-005735PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jan. 17, 2019 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jan. 17, 2019 |
Petitioner's Notice of Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice filed.
|
Dec. 10, 2018 |
Notice of Taking Deposition (Merchant-Parrish) filed.
|
Nov. 29, 2018 |
Notice of Service of Interrogatories, Request for Admission and Request for Production filed.
|
Nov. 08, 2018 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Nov. 08, 2018 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for January 23, 2019; 9:00 a.m.; Jacksonville, FL).
|
Oct. 31, 2018 |
Certificate of Service of Discovery filed.
|
Oct. 31, 2018 |
Agreed upon Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Oct. 30, 2018 |
Initial Order.
|
Oct. 30, 2018 |
Notice of Appearance (Stephanie Schaap).
|
Oct. 30, 2018 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Oct. 30, 2018 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Oct. 30, 2018 |
Agency referral filed.
|