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Students punished over sex photos

The events involve a cell phone camera and Academy of Environmental Science students on a field trip.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT
Published April 14, 2005

CRYSTAL RIVER - Two students at the Academy of Environmental Science have been suspended, and a third faces discipline, concerning sexual photos that were taken with a cell phone camera during a bus ride home from a field trip last week.

Details of the incident emerged piecemeal Wednesday during a meeting of the academy's governing board. The governing board forwarded the matter to the school district for investigation.

Parents at the meeting Wednesday voiced concerns about photos "of a sexual nature" taken with a cell phone camera. Students said the pictures constituted "child pornography" because they were explicit and the subjects were younger than 18.

During the trip back to Citrus County, school staff and chaperones sat in the front of the bus. The students now facing discipline were in the back. Parents voiced disappointment about the supervision level; two academy teachers said that ever since the incident came to light the staff has sat at the back and in the middle of the students to supervise.

Also at Wednesday's board meeting, students not involved in the incident complained that they were being punished unfairly because they now must sit in assigned seats on the bus. The school's staff pointed out that the assigned seating was canceled as of Wednesday.

Students and parents alike voiced frustration about what appeared to be a lack of action by the school to concerns about the incident. Board members themselves were caught up in that same frustration as multiple related controversies have swirled around the school in recent weeks.

Citing the need for new leadership as the charter school expands its programs, the board voted several weeks ago not tobring back Lisa Merritt as director and teacher next school year. She has led the program there since it began in 1999.

Several days ago, board members learned of the Epcot trip incident and were given other information that Merritt may have been questioning staff members and students about what they knew about a district investigation of her husband, Allen Kline, who was a substitute teacher at the academy for a time.

No details of that investigation have yet become public.

Further complicating the matter, Merritt has been absent from the school since late last week because Kline has been ill. Board Chairman Gary Maidhof said he has spoken to Merritt and she is expected back at work by Monday. But her absence has made the school's investigation into the cell phone incident stall.

An additional complication came when several board members tried to convey information via e-mail concerning the Epcot trip and reports about Merritt's questioning of students and staff members. The communication raised questions of whether the board members were violating Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law by privately talking about issues.

Maidhof on Wednesday gently chided the board, warning members that they must be careful about any conversations about academy business, whether they be by phone or by e-mail. He said he understood that, as a small organization, the board often takes on tasks that a staff member would do if available but noted that the law must be followed.

Sending out an informational e-mail is allowed, but "if you send out an e-mail seeking input, that's where we run afoul" of the rules, Maidhof said. The problem was compounded when another academy board member responded, sending copies to all members of the board.

Board members Bob Gill and Chris Lloyd, who sent the original e-mail and the response, each apologized for having possibly embarrassed the academy. But each also said that some method needs to be chosen to be sure board members are informed of incidents at the school.

--Barbara Behrendt can be reached at 564-3621 or behrendt@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 14, 2005, 01:15:22]