School Board members say punishment was just

Immokalee High School got a fair punishment.

That seemed to be the consensus of the members of the Collier County School Board and the Collier County School District administration after the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) handed down the reprimand following an investigation that the school used three over-age players.

Those sanctions include paying a $3,000 fine — $1,000 for each of the students — as well as barring the Immokalee football team from the playoffs for next season and the boys soccer team for two seasons, and requiring the school to forfeit two district soccer titles and one district football title.

“It looks fair. When you make a mistake, you have to stand up and take your medicine. And we’ll do that,” School Board member Dick Bruce said.

Board member Pat Carroll said the punishment is, if anything, a tremendous blow to the community.

“(The punishment) is harsh; however, I don’t believe it is unreasonable. This is not about a monetary fine. In the Immokalee community, there is a huge amount of pride for their sports teams,” she said. “I’m sad about (that consequence).”

Board Vice Chairman Steven Donovan said whatever the punishment, no one was going to win.

“The school is tarnished because these students did not follow the rules. We expect people to follow the rules and, when they don’t, there are costs and consequences that have to be applied to the school district and Immokalee High School,” he said. “We as a district need to get the policies and procedures tightened up so this does not happen again.”

Assistant Superintendent Eric Williams said in a prepared statement Wednesday that the punishment wasn’t surprising because the school has acknowledged that the three students participated in interscholastic sports after turning 19 years and 9 months old — the maximum age for a student to participate in high school sports.

He also praised the FHSAA for its plans to revisit Policy 17, which focuses on international students and doesn’t address those students with green cards or those here illegally.

Williams, who was out of the office at a conference Wednesday, couldn’t be reached to comment on whether the district would appeal any part of the ruling. The district has 10 days to appeal.

School Board member Linda Abbott said while the punishment wasn’t unreasonable, it was unfortunate that “innocent people” would suffer the consequences of the school’s mistake.

“We, as a district, must find a way to prevent this from happening again,” she said. “The sports consequences are one thing. But if our policies and procedures (for registration) were effective enough, the sports would not be the issue here. The sports has sort of overshadowed the real problem having accountability over this problem.”

The FHSAA’s investigation report prepared by Ron Balazs found that the school didn’t keep adequate records of its students.

“In my observations and discussions with the administration, it is obvious that the school needs to have a better handle on their record keeping and eligibility process. The fact that they have such a large immigrant population should make them much more cautious regarding birth certificates and visas,” Balazs wrote.

Abbott said the School Board needs to make sure better policies and procedures are in place to ensure that all students are accounted for.

Abbott said she didn’t know if the School Board would take additional measures to punish the school or its principal, Manny Touron.

“Manny Touron is a principal with so much compassion for his students. He really wants to help every student he can (to) reach his or her dreams. But we have rules that need to be followed for the benefit of all,” she said.

Bruce said whatever happens, Touron shouldn’t be fired.

“Manny Touron is guilty of being a caring person, a trusting person,” he said. “What he did was not a fireable mistake. The school is being punished and I will support whatever reprimand Superintendent (Ray) Baker would recommend. But I would not support firing him.”

Carroll said she believes the district’s investigation into the incident is coming to an end and recommendations for punishment could come from that.

Board Chairwoman Kathleen Curatolo couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday.