SARASOTA, Fla. — School board members in Sarasota are trying to figure out why allegations against a former teacher accused of inappropriately touching students at Sarasota High School were never reported to the police.
The Sarasota Police Department said investigators were looking into a separate incident at Brookside Middle School in September involving 34-year-old Maxwell Guss when they learned of allegations against him at Sarasota High School in 2017.
"There was inappropriate behavior reported back in 2017 involving the same teacher, however, the administration never reported it to law enforcement,” said Genevieve Judge, spokesperson for the Sarasota Police Department.
School board member Eric Robinson said he believes the principal at Sarasota High School covered the incident up by not reporting it, despite a school resource officer coming forward.
“Unfortunately, this is a constant pattern of behavior in Sarasota County School District that needs to be corrected,” he said. “When it was reported by the school resource officer, apparently, the principal sent an email to that officer's sergeant attacking that person for even reporting it. And I have tried to get a copy of that email, but I have been stonewalled as a school board member from even getting a copy of that email."
10News also requested that email and is waiting for the response. We also asked other districts across the Tampa Bay area about their policies for reporting inappropriate touching.
Each district had varying responses, but it all came down to state law.
"There's a law that once these things are found out, they need to be reported to DCF, and the principal, once he found out, he did not report it to DCF," Robinson said. "That is horrible, that is terrible, that is disgusting."
In Florida, the Department of Children and Families consider teachers and administrators “mandatory reporters.” If they ignore abuse, it can mean anything from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.
"These things can’t be taken lightly, and if you have any suspicion of misconduct or sexual abuse, you have to report it to DCF,” said school board member Bridget Ziegler.
Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.
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