Brookside Teacher To Remain On Leave Over Hoodie Incident

SARASOTA, FL — A former teacher of the year who got into a "physical altercation" with a then 14-year-old student at Brookside Middle School for wearing a hoodie one day after the Valentine's Day mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, will remain on administrative leave, according to Sarasota County Schools.

John Russo, a social studies teacher and coach at the school, will remain on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the school district’s investigation into his behavior involving a student, district spokeswoman Tracey Beeker said Thursday. She said that Russo is a former teacher of the year at the school.

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The altercation occurred when the student was spotted wearing a hoodie that covered his head as the student made his way to a bus ramp, according to the Sarasota State Attorney's Office. Prosecutors noted that students were warned earlier in the day that they would face discipline if they covered their heads with hoodies in the aftermath of the horrific school shooting.

The Sarasota State Attorney's Office dismissed a charge of battery against Russo on Dec. 19 after he completed a six-hour, non-violent crisis intervention training program and performed 24 hours of community service.

"The defendant's physical contact with the student victim in this case was unnecessary and inappropriate," concluded Assistant State Attorney William J. Warmke in a Jan. 11 memo to the Sarasota Police Department that was released by school officials Thursday.

"As the victim was walking to the bus ramp, the defendant asked the victim to remove his hoodie that was covering his head in a face-to-face encounter," according to the state attorney's office.

"The victim complied and continued walking. The victim then put his hoodie back over his head only moments later," the state attorney's office said of the incident which was captured on video. "The defendant followed the victim and confronted him. The victim took off his hoodie, turned around and continued walking away. The defendant approached the victim from behind and wrapped his arms around the victim, preventing him from leaving."

The state attorney's office also noted that the student claimed to have received an injury to his hand from the incident. But teachers said he got the hand injury from punching a locker.

"Although the defendant was on a higher alert because of the events at Stoneman Douglas High School, his statements are refuted by prior acts of violence against students," the state attorney's office wrote in the memo to police.

Prosecutors pointed to a 2017 incident in which Russo allegedly grabbed a student's backpack, pushed the child and cornered him for not following instructions and another incident the year before.

"In 2016, the defendant [threatened] to punch a student in the face after she accidentally struck him with a basketball at a practice after school," according to the state attorney's office.

Russo was placed on administrative leave from the school immediately following the incident. Last spring, the school district’s internal investigation was placed on hold pending the criminal investigation that was conducted by the Sarasota Police Department and the Sarasota State Attorney’s Office.

“While our criminal case is constrained by legal precedent, administrative proceedings by the school and school board are not constrained,” prosecutors added in the memo.

Beeker said that the district decided to continue its investigation "because of this memo and additional evidence presented to the school district."

Superintendent Todd Bowden of Sarasota County Schools said that he has a responsibility to make sure his students receive the best education possible in a safe environment.

“We must put our students first, and after reviewing the state’s attorney’s office memo and additional evidence received by the school district, we will continue our investigation regarding Mr. Russo," Bowden explained. "Until the investigation is concluded, Mr. Russo will remain on administrative leave and will not be allowed to interact with students in the school district.”

Beeker said the school district also plans to review protocols for employee discipline as part of its investigation into Russo.

Employment law specialist Jennifer Compton with the firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick has been retained to continue the investigation of Russo and school district discipline protocols. Compton represented the city of Sarasota in the past and previously served as a former attorney for Bowden.

Photo courtesy Sarasota County Schools