Dad punches out accused teacher's aide

[Sir Percy]

We know, or can infer, a little about the personalities of both the father or the daughter from the actions of the two and the backgounds to the incident. It is a fair bet that they are cast from the same mold. Like father, like daughter. Retaliation with no thought to the consequences; impulsiveness; disregard for others; willingness to punish innocent bystanders, thoughtlessly; revenge driven; coercive involvement of others in their games. Not a nice picture. Thick as two short planks maybe?

[FP]

Update on the story, "father of the year" is suing the school! :lol:  :lol:

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/13883255.htm

Dad suing school officials
ERICA RODRIGUEZ
Herald Staff Writer

MANATEE - The man accused of punching a teacher's assistant at Lakewood Ranch High School slapped school officials with a lawsuit Wednesday morning.

The suit came about three weeks after deputies arrested Dave Swafford, an East Manatee man, on a battery charge for delivering a blow to teacher's assistant Deondrick Mathis' face.

The punch was thrown over allegations that Mathis behaved inappropriately toward Swafford's daughter, a student at the school.

School officials reported days later that an internal investigation proved the girl's claims were unsubstantiated. Sheriff's deputies also investigated the case and did not pursue criminal charges against Mathis.

But Swafford's attorney, Ron Kurpiers II, of St. Petersburg, says school officials dropped the ball.

Kurpiers outlined several accusations in the suit, which followed a Feb. 2 letter to the school board demanding a $5 million settlement.

Swafford's attorney filed the suit against Mathis, the Manatee County School Board, Manatee County and Superintendent Roger Dearing.

Among the accusations, Kurpiers claims school officials tried to cover things up for Mathis by destroying or altering evidence, including changing locks to a classroom door. But Kurpiers would not elaborate on what other evidence may have been tampered with.

John Bowen, school board attorney, denied the claim and said the suit "is so riddled with factual and legal inaccuracies it's almost comical."

According to the lawsuit, Swafford's daughter was punished at school Jan. 19, a Thursday, for a prank involving another student. The punishment entailed spending part of her day in the "Time Out" room, Room 506, a classroom overseen by Mathis.

Swafford's daughter alleges Mathis made sexual comments to her and that he touched her inappropriately at about 2 p.m. that day. The teen told school officials about the situation the following Monday, Jan. 23.

Lakewood Ranch High School officials conducted an immediate investigation, questioning students who were in the room the afternoon of the alleged incident, according to Bowen.

"They conducted an investigation and determined there was no support for her allegations," Bowen said.

The girl's parents were called in for a conference to be held the next day, Tuesday, Jan. 24. Swafford and his wife, in turn, showed up at school for the meeting.

Kurpiers said someone told Swafford that Mathis would not be at the meeting. Bowen says surveillance cameras show Swafford heading straight for the classroom.

Then, there was the hit.

Swafford went to Mathis' classroom and confronted him, according to Herald archives. The lawsuit states Swafford asked Mathis to go to the meeting. According to the suit, Mathis responded by saying, "I am not going anywhere" with a laugh and folded arms.

But students in the class reported otherwise, Bowen said.

Still, the only detail not disputed by either party is that Swafford decked Mathis in front of the students.

Named "father of the year" for the punch by a local radio station that promised to supply him with season tickets to NASCAR races, Swafford went public - appearing on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor."

Kurpiers claims the girl returned to school the day after the punch but had to leave because of "harassment." She has not returned to class but has gone to pick up school work, he said.

Lakewood Ranch High School principal Mike Wilder sent Swafford's wife, Margie, a letter Feb. 7 stating that her daughter had violated the student conduct code. A due-process hearing regarding those violations was set for this past Tuesday. But the student did not appear per the advice of her attorney, who school officials said was not allowed to go with her, Bowen said.

Other claims listed in the lawsuit and outlined by Kurpiers include:

• The school did not take proper steps when told of the sexual allegations.

• Officials failed to conduct a proper background check on Mathis before hiring him.

• Dearing violated the teen's rights to privacy by revealing her name in public.

• The girl has suffered severe mental and emotional damage and needs "painful and extensive psychiatric and psychological examinations and counseling attendant to her injuries."

• Officials fabricated a story that the girl's allegations were a retaliation against Mathis for her punishment at school.

"This is just ludicrous, ridiculous," Bowen said, adding that the school board plans to seek attorney's fees from Swafford.

"They are making allegations that they know or should know aren't true," he said.

[devia]

I think the dad should get the book thrown at him.

(Irony here)

[CaptDMO]

Wow,
How nice to see that this years high school production of "The Crucible" went so well.

[Prometheus]

Once again Bill O'Reilly (as well as that local radio station) knee jerked at the latest senstional story.  "Red Neck of the Year" would be  a more appropriate award.
This guy should be horse whipped.

[BRIAN]

I live in the Tampa area where that happened. They are more than likely not going to do anything to the girl because she is only 16 but the dad is in a heap-o-trouble now. Pretty bad because I can sympathize with wanting to protect your child but I can honestly say he should have known better.

[TheManOnTheStreet]

Well, I guess I see this differently, but the same.... sort of.

THe father is a freakin neanderthal for sure, but why is it that the allegations (false according to the investigations) are still being ignored?

Not only should this ass be slapped by the law, but his pisssant little brat shold be as well.  no?

Al

[Disposable Dick]

Well, I guess I see this differently, but the same.... sort of.
THe father is a freakin neanderthal for sure, but why is it that the allegations (false according to the investigations) are still being ignored?
Not only should this ass be slapped by the law, but his pisssant little brat shold be as well.  no?
Al

A six year old can be done for sexual harassment, a sixteen year old can be forced to pay child support to his rapist from when he was twelve. I reckon a fifteen year old should be held responsible for bald faced lying - particularly given this outcome.

[Sir Percy]

A six year old can be done for sexual harassment, a sixteen year old can be forced to pay child support to his rapist from when he was twelve. I reckon a fifteen year old should be held responsible for bald faced lying - particularly given this outcome.

Absolutely. Spot on thinking.