Manatee County School District Superintendent Rick Mills has dismissed the administrative complaint against former school administrator Robert Gagnon.
Gagnon was accused of knowing about allegations of inappropriate behavior involving former Manatee High football coach Rod Frazier and not reporting it.
Gagnon, a former assistant superintendent and former principal at Manatee High, was acquitted in that case last month. In addition, administrative law judge Lynn Quimby-Pennock filed an order recommending Gagnon be reinstated and awarded full back pay.
"Based upon the criminal acquittal of Mr. Gagnon and this week's decision by the Administrative Law Judge, I am dismissing the Administrative Complaint against Robert Gagnon," Mills said in a statement released Thursday. Read Mills' full statement.
Gagnon's contract was not renewed by the district this year, and he became unemployed as of three days ago.
At a press conference earlier this week, he said he would be willing to entertain the possibility of returning to work for the district in some capacity.
According to our partners at the Bradenton Herald, the next step is for the school board to vote on whether to award Gagnon back pay and benefits.
Two other former school administrators were also charged in connection with the Frazier case. Former assistant principal Matthew Kane was acquitted of similar charges of failure to report allegations of child abuse, while former assistant principle Gregg Faller was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of not reporting child abuse. Faller was sentenced to one day of probation.
Kane and Faller are both fighting to get their jobs with the district back.
Frazier pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor counts of battery and three misdemeanor counts of interfering with school attendance earlier this year. He was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of house arrest.
Full statement from Superintendent Rick Mills
"I spent 25 years in a career defending this nation, our freedoms and our constitution. I believe in this country’s democratic system and our judicial system. In accordance with those beliefs and values, if somebody undergoes a criminal trial and an administrative hearing and is acquitted in both cases, they should be treated accordingly.
"Felony charges were filed by the State Attorney’s office against Mr. Gagnon and three other district administrators on August 15, 2013. In a statement I released the following day, I stated these employees are innocent until proven guilty and we ask the public to join us in allowing the judicial process to proceed and to reserve judgment until all of the facts have been established and evaluated.
"After the district’s internal investigation was completed and released in September 2013, a discipline committee reviewed the internal investigation and reached a consensus that the district should move forward with disciplinary action in conjunction with our attorneys.
"Based on the findings of the internal investigation, the School Board voted 5-0 to approve my recommendation, in accordance with state statutes, that Mr. Gagnon and the other administrators facing criminal proceedings be suspended without pay pending termination from the school district. The decision made at that time, given the unique circumstances involved, was in the best interest of our students and employees. As superintendent, my foremost priority is to protect our students and employees and all of my decisions are made with this priority.
"Based upon the criminal acquittal of Mr. Gagnon and this week’s decision by the Administrative Law Judge, I am dismissing the Administrative Complaint against Robert Gagnon."