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Key allegation was never discussed when Hillsborough School Board reinstated teacher

 
Carter Reynolds, 18, an online sensation, with his half-brother, teacher Adam Reynolds, whose suspension was overturned.
Carter Reynolds, 18, an online sensation, with his half-brother, teacher Adam Reynolds, whose suspension was overturned.
Published May 19, 2015

TAMPA — When they voted last week to let a middle school teacher keep his job, Hillsborough County School Board members did not discuss the most shocking aspect of the case — an allegation that his half-brother had a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old student at his house.

The allegation did not result in an arrest, and lawyers agreed it should not be discussed.

By a 4-3 vote, the board ended an effort by district administrators to fire Adam Reynolds, 43, from his job teaching physical education at Ben Hill Middle School in Carrollwood.

Board members declined to comment after the closed-door hearing. But transcripts released Monday reveal what they said — and didn't say — before taking the unusual move of going against a district personnel decision.

Administrators said Reynolds hosted an unauthorized, all-girl pizza party at the school on April 17, 2014. Its purpose was to introduce the girls to Carter Reynolds, then 17 and an Internet personality with 4.2 million followers on the social media site Vine.

Chaos ensued, according to Jacquelyn Scaglione, then the principal. She was incensed to learn that the following night, the PTSA would help out with a Carter Reynolds meet-and-greet at Carrollwood Country Club.

Scaglione, who now works in the district's human resources department, tried to stop the teacher from hosting the event, from which he planned to profit. By her reasoning, the PTSA should not lend its name to the event. But the meet-and-greet went on as planned, attracting about 1,000 fans.

Days later, Scaglione learned that a 14-year-old student was alleging she had a sexual encounter with Carter Reynolds — whom she had met at the school pizza party — at the teacher's house.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies investigated the girl's allegation for months. They had no physical evidence and Carter Reynolds, who lives out of state, declined to be interviewed. They closed the case without any criminal charges.

Lawyers for Adam Reynolds and the district agreed the matter should not be discussed.

"In termination hearings, the board is really sitting more like a jury or a judge," said Jim Porter, the board's attorney. "They can't rely on information that was not presented to them, or not otherwise part of the hearing."

The two-day hearing focused instead on the pizza party and the country club event. While district officials said the pizza party was unauthorized and the country club party represented a conflict of interest, Reynolds said an assistant principal gave him permission for the pizza party and Scaglione had no right to cancel the country club event.

This wasn't the first time Rey­nolds, a district employee since 2000, faced questions about judgment. But only one other incident, a 2006 reprimand for his use of MySpace, was discussed.

The transcript shows members Carol Kurdell and Melissa Snively believed the district made its case for insubordination. Member Doretha Edgecomb agreed and said employees, considering their position, should avoid conflicts of interest. They cast the three dissenting votes.

Susan Valdes, one of four board members who voted to keep Reynolds, said that there are inconsistencies in the way the district carries out policies and procedures "and I'll just leave it at that."

April Griffin was not convinced Reynolds could be stopped from holding the meet-and-greet. "People do have lives outside of their jobs within this district," she said. Cindy Stuart and Sally Harris, who also voted against the firing, said nothing.

The district is looking for a position for Reynolds, spokesman Stephen Hegarty said. Reynolds said he is concerned about where it will be. But, he said, "I appreciate the fact that the majority of the board looked at the facts and made their decisions based on the facts."

Contact Marlene Sokol at (813) 226-3356 or msokol@tampabay.com. Follow @marlenesokol.