He pushed a second grader’s head on to a desk and threatened another child with his belt- the allegations which could get a Reynolds Lane Elementary School teacher a 30-day suspension.
Jonathan Walker is one of five Duval County Public School employees who received disciplinary action at Tuesday night’s School Board meeting.
The investigation in to Walker started in February, when another teacher overheard a second grader talking about an adult who had “put his hands on him”. School officials and District Police interviewed several students in the second grade class, and came to the consensus that Walker “exercised poor judgement” and “inappropriate communication”.
The students in the class were being “very chaotic”, according to Walker’s interview with the District. The investigation obtained by WOKV shows he claimed they were “throwing items at him, running around the classroom and punching each other”. Walker tried several different reward and punishment systems, but ultimately wound up telling students to put their heads down on their desks.
One second grader continued to make rude comments toward Walker and other students, including what some students called “nasty” and “gross” comments. The student wouldn’t sit down, so Walker eventually led him to his desk and “pushed” his head down, so that the student’s head hit the desk.
On the same day, another student was also acting out and calling other children inappropriate names. Walker admits to approaching the student while pulling off his belt, waving it around, and saying “I am not afraid to whip you like your mommy is”.
Investigators say Walker appeared “very remorseful and apologetic”, and is “willing to accept whatever discipline is to be administered”. He says his actions were out of character, the result of a stressful day and side effects of anti-depression medication.
He’s received a 30-day suspension and written reprimand, pending the School Board vote tonight. Walker has not been the subject of any prior DCPS investigation or received any prior discipline.
Another teacher with a clean record to this point was given a 30-day suspension- Joseph Finegan Elementary teacher Wanda Womack.
A first grade student in Womack’s class brought a stun gun home with him and wound up using it on one of his fingers. The child said he got the stun gun from school. The investigative documents show Womack claimed ownership of the stun gun, saying she kept it in her purse. School officials say not only should Womack have not possessed the weapon on school grounds, but it was also not secure from the students.
Womack declined, through her Duval Teachers Union Attorney, to make any statement to the District.
The child’s mother didn't want Womack removed from the school, but she was recommended nonetheless for a 30 day suspension and written reprimand.
Two other educators received discipline because of excessive leave and other problems with time reporting. Catherine Sarnowski, a paraprofessional with Neptune Beach Elementary, was given a fifteen day suspension. She’s received a written and verbal reprimand in the past. Myra Adolfo, a paraprofessional at Ed White High School, has been terminated. She previously received a verbal reprimand, written reprimand, and 15 day suspension for similar offenses.
The fifth and final disciplinary action the School Board voted on was to terminate a Transportation Department Security Guard, Larry Summers. According to the DCPS investigative documents, Summers pled guilty last May to DUI, reckless driving, driving with a suspended/cancelled/revoked license, and improper license plate ore validation sticker. The records show Summers then pled guilty in December for attempting to flee police, resisting and officer without violence, and more. A prior District investigation in to Summers was “Unable to Prove or Disprove” allegations of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student who had recently graduated.
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