Student grabs a Sarasota County teachers breast as part of a tiktok challenge, yet the union and school have allegedly villainized the teacher

Student grabs a Sarasota County teachers breast as part of a tiktok challenge, yet the union and school have allegedly villainized the teacher

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 
Mary M.A.Ed
 
Good morning Mr. Craig,
 
I read your story about the Sarasota County School Board, and I thought you might be interested in my story.
 
I am a local teacher in Sarasota County, and I have taught here since 2005. I am currently employed as a teacher at Brookside Middle School.
 
I have a stellar personal record that includes academic awards, leadership positions and mentorship roles.
 
There have been two things in my life that have brought me absolute joy and pride: raising my three wonderful children and being a teacher.
 
But, all of that changed on November 3, 2021. My life changed dramatically for the worse when a student made an intentional decision to grab my breast due to a TikTok challenge. He made an obvious choice to cross physical barriers such as plexiglass, a taped off 8 x 8 area, and painter signs that clearly stated “stay 6 feet away due to Covid restrictions”.
 
I screamed, “How dare you, How dare you, get away!!”
 
I had to physically remove his hand from my breast, and push him away from me.
 
Prior to this assault, I had called the office four times for assistance and nobody answered my call for help, even though I had a class of extremely disruptive and insubordinate students.
 
I reported the incident on a SCSB referral form and I pressed charges against the student, under sworn oath, with a School police officer.
 
I was sent home on November 9, 2021 and I have been treated like a criminal ever since. I was told to go home, report for a “fit for duty” evaluation, and coerced not to have any interactions with any school board employees, parents or students. However, I was told to complete lesson plans and grade papers, sometimes up until 7 PM at night. I have emails to corroborate everything I am saying. I was basically told, if I told anybody about what happened, I would be fired.
 
There are currently EEOC charges against the school board and the SCTA. I have been home on paid leave ever sense November 9, 2021. Now, I am being told to sign an unpaid medical leave of absence form, or they will fire me.
 
I have experienced severe trauma, not just from the actual attack from the students, but from the malfeasance of my employers and school district, for not only NOT protecting me, but for threatening me! I had no choice but to call the States Attorney office to make sure that my charges were filed from the November 3 assault. I had to re-sign the charges on February 22, 2022. I will be reading my Victims Impact Statement on May 17.
 
I wanted to speak at the School board meeting last week, but was convinced by former superintendents, to instead come and speak with them on May 4, so that we could “come up with a plan for me for next year.” Only to find out, “the plan” is for me to sign a piece of paper by May 14 that says I will take a unpaid medical leave of absence for next year or I’ll be fired.
 
I have suffered severe trauma due to the sexual assault by the student on November 3, 2021. The fact that, not only did no one pick up the front office phone to answer my pleas for help. It has been communicated to me that individuals at the school were told not to have any interaction with me due to an ongoing sexual harassment investigation, has also added to my trauma.
 
I have absolutely every documentation to prove to you that what I am saying is true. This is exactly why they kept me home, paid me my salary and directed me not to tell anyone!
 

I have had the SCSB School police officers knocking on my door at my home. My son has answered the door, and we both have felt intimidated, terrified while I have continued to suffer personal trauma.
 
I have had a perfect academic career of 30 years and I have a stellar personnel file to prove it.
 
I was going to be at the school board meeting last week but I was told not to go.
 
The EEOC has all of my documents. I have all of my documents. I believed the Director of Human Resources, even violated FMLA which I reported to the United States department of labor and hourly wages. Shortly after, I was given my paycheck from the SCSB.
 
They have tried to intimidate me, and they have definitely coerced me. Coercion is codified as a crime of duress. Now, they want to fire me!!
 
At this point I am willing to speak
 
Below is where the assault took place.
 
Mary, M.A. ED
 

Teacher confronts Sarasota County School Board about their inaction, after she was sexually assaulted by a student