Orange County Public Schools - Olympia High School - Robert Rego - Warren Little - John Glascock ripoff I feel that I am a victim of corruption, discrimination and unfair treatment. Orlando Florida

December 6th 2003

RE: ABUSE OF POWER.

This is an official letter to inform you of what I believe to be corruption and discrimination at Olympia High School in Orange County, Florida. As a father of a 14 year old student who has been suspended from Olympia High School since November 4th 2003 without any prior notification to the parents, and subsequent efforts to meet with school officials to resolve their accusations, I feel that I am a victim of corruption, discrimination and unfair treatment.

On the evening of October 24th 2003 some teenagers were involved in a fight in a subdivision. My 14 year old son, Joe Jr., happened to be at the scene of the fight. The following week, Joe informed us that he was being called away from classes every day to the office and sometimes being asked questions but mostly he would sit idly and missed classes and even lunch on some days. We were very concerned about this and on November 3rd, his mother decided to go to the school office to inquire about this.

When she got there, she saw Joe Jr. sitting idly around with a piece of paper in his hand and asked what he was doing there. He informed her that he was just given that paper V suspension from school from 11/4/03 to 11/18/03. She was in total shock and inquired at the school office for more information.

Apparently Mr. Bobby Rego, the Assistant Athletic Director/ investigator, made a decision to have the teenagers who were involved in a fight (as well as Joe Jr. who was not involved but at the scene) on the evening of October 24th suspended and recommended expulsion. The students suspended and expelled are all MINORITY.

As a concerned parent and law abiding citizen, I immediately requested a meeting with the person who handed down such a severe punishment to see if there was something I was missing and I was connected by phone to Mr. Rego on November 4th . He informed me that there were 13 kids involved and that he was convinced that they must be suspended and he strongly recommended 2 years expulsion as he had 35 witness statements to support this.

I addressed the issue that my son's suspension notice indicated that he had a weapon and Mr. Rego told me that he had so many reports to do that he made a mistake and didn't think that Joe Jr. had a weapon because of the 35 statements they had, only 1 mentioned Joe Jr. and that he was going to remove it. I still insisted on a meeting with him but he declined and said that it was not necessary as he had already made his decision to have Joe Jr. suspended. He said that I would have an opportunity to meet with an impartial member of the school board to voice my concerns.

Still not satisfied I contacted the school and requested an urgent meeting with the Principal because I think that these children have a property interest in attending school. If these kids were a danger to themselves or anyone else, why did it take 11 days to keep them away from each other?

The earliest meeting I was able to get was on Nov 11th and it was not with the Principal but with one of the assistant principals, Mr. Rob Anderson. In addressing my concerns with Mr. Anderson I brought to his attention many instances whereby the school violated their own code of conduct, they are not acting within their code of conduct but they were holding these students to it.

I asked specific questions about due process, constitutional and procedural Protections and failure for the school to abide with their own code of conduct. He promised to get back with me but he never did. I informed him that the school never informed my son of disciplinary policies nor that the school have Jurisdiction in an after school incident in a sub-division miles away from the school.

I also have confirmation from the school that they had never given Joe Jr. the code of conduct so he's being held to standards and expectations never given to nor discussed with him. Mr. Anderson confirmed that he stood by Mr. Rego's decision and that he was going to look into it and would get back to me regarding the many instances that the school violated school regulations. He never did!

On October 27th, the school resource officer, Deputy Glascock, had asked Joe Jr. for a statement and Joe refused to do so without his dad's presence. A few days later, Joe Jr. was again called to the office by Deputy Glascock and Mr. Rego and was asked for a statement and Joe Jr. told him he had to speak to his father first. He was refused that right and Deputy Glascock told him that he had to do so at the time. Joe Jr. wrote a statement without having the opportunity of speaking with his father. At no time during this investigation did the school inform the parents/guardians.

On October 31st, Joe Jr. was again called to the office and was intimidated and interrogated by Deputy Glascock. He slammed his handcuffs on the desk and told Joe Jr. that he was going to jail, he was going downtown. My van is parked right outside. In an adjacent room, the only one of the supposedly 35 witness statements that indicated that Joe Jr. was involved in the fight was being interrogated with the doors opened so that Joe Jr. could hear.

Words were being put in that student's mouth to say that Joe Jr. was involved. The Deputy interrogated Joe Jr. with his POWER and HANDCUFF and that he was taking him to jail unless he wrote a new statement. The Deputy filled out the top section of the form and demanded Joe Jr. to write a different statement than the one he had previously given.

All the other statements were filled out by the person making them. (Not by Mr. Rego nor Mr. Glascock)

We received a certified letter informing us of an official meeting on Nov 18th with a representative of the School Board. On 11/18/03 my son Joe Jr., his mom and dad and grand parents showed up for our meeting along with his Exceptional Education Teacher and his Evaluation Interpreter, only to find out that this meeting was postponed since 11/10/03 and no one bothered to inform us. (We had a meeting with Rob Anderson on 11/11/03.) Everyone had taken the day off and just wasted it because the school officials are determined to abuse their power and we are the victims of this.
On 11/19/03 at 2:31 pm we received another certified letter informing us of an official meeting the following day at 10:30 am. We then had to schedule another day off that week.

I called the Orange County School Board to inquire if I could record the meeting we were scheduled to participate in, and after being transferred to the appropriate department, I was informed that I had the right to do so but I must informed the other members in the meeting as they may also want to record it.
On Nov. 20th Mr. Warren Little inform me that he would not allow any recording of this meeting. He gave me two choices, proceed without recording or I can leave.

We proceeded and it was my understanding that we would be allowed to voice our concerns and address any issues we may have. Mr. Little, the area administrator who acts as a representative of the school superintendent, conducted the meeting. He interrogated our son Joe Jr., refused our input, refused our copies of letters of support and additional witness statements. Whenever we asked a question, he directed the school officials not to answer them. I asked him why we were invited to a meeting when we have no input; they refused to answer any questions and interrogated our son. It seemed like something that would happen in Russia, Cuba and China. I didn't expect this Draconian Kangaroo hearing in our democratic society. It is my understanding that all the kids that were involved in a neighborhood fight have been expelled for 2 years. My son has been out of school since November 3rd and is now facing 2 years expulsion.

It also turns out that the supposedly 35 witness statements that Mr. Rob Anderson and Mr. Rego, the investigator who handed done the penalty, had to support his action in now only 20. Where did the other 15 go?

My contentions:

This should be a police matter, not the school. Due process violated, suspended without a hearing. Goss V Lopez Fl statue1003.01 suspensions cannot be more than 10 days without a hearing. Ours 12. Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door. My son is suspended unlawfully (Civil rights Act 1871) 42 U.S.C. ss 1983 The school should abide by their code of conduct and school board regulations. Students should not be interrogated, coerced and threatened. Minors should have the right to speak with their parents prior to being forced into giving a statement with the threat of going to jail immediately. Parents should be notified of pending suspension of a student. Parents should be notified of postponement of official meeting prior to getting there.

It seems like I am being victimized and school officials are above the law.

Sincerely,
Mr. Joe P

Joe
ORLANDO, Florida
U.S.A.