Lawsuit: Collier school board, Parkside Elementary mishandled claims of sex abuse by ex-teacher
Two parents of children who attended Parkside Elementary School have filed complaints against the Collier County School Board, claiming a former teacher sexually abused their children and the school mishandled other accusations of misconduct.
In the separate complaints filed last Thursday in Collier County Circuit Court, the parents from two different families allege that former Parkside Elementary School teacher Hector Manley inappropriately touched their daughters and other students but school leadership did not properly investigate.
Manley, 31, faces 23 criminal charges of molesting children as young as 6 years old during his three years at the school.
The two students, who are named Jane Doe to protect their identities, are elementary school-age children, according to the separate complaints.
Gregg R. Schwartz, the parents' Miami-based attorney, said the children he is representing suffered greatly due to negligence at the East Naples elementary school.
"There are too many signs," Schwartz said.
Both civil lawsuits claim that school leaders and the school district violated the children's Title IX rights and were negligent with accusations of inappropriate behavior by Manley.
Title IX, which applies to institutions that receive federal funds from the Department of Education, protects against discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual misconduct or harassment.
"Obviously, the guy continued to do what he was doing," Schwartz said.
According to the lawsuits, both students suffered severe psychological and emotional injuries. The lawsuits seek damages of more than $30,000. The complaints demand a jury trial.
"At this time, the district has not been served with a lawsuit," Chad Oliver, Collier's district spokesman, wrote in an email.
Oliver said the district does not comment on pending litigation.
School Board chairman Erick Carter said he is aware of the complaints but is unable to comment at this time "due to the nature of them." Carter said school board attorney Jon Fishbane has yet to review the complaints.
Both lawsuits allege that the school board "failed to appropriately discipline Manley, allowed Manley to maintain his position as a teacher at Parkside Elementary School, and allowed him to maintain unfettered access to young female students at the school."
The complaints also claim school leadership, including then-Parkside Elementary Principal Tamie Stewart who retired last school year from another principal role, was notified about accusations against Manley but did not follow procedure or vet them.
Previously:Twentieth child accuses former Parkside Elementary teacher of molestation
In one example, the lawsuits allege Manley contacted female students through Snapchat where they would talk and exchange pictures.
The school's Youth Relations Deputy reported knowledge of the communications to administration during the 2017-18 school year, according to the lawsuits.
The complaints claim Manley was "permitted to remain on staff as a teacher and was simply moved from position to position, still in close contact with minor females and Manley continued his sexual molestations/assaults."
The lawsuits also allege that the school district did not perform a "timely or sufficient" Title IX investigation; Schwartz said he did not know whether the district had completed or started an investigation, which he said they are required to do.
In May and August 2019, Schwartz emailed the school board's then-Chairman Roy Terry a notice letter with his plans to file against the school board.
Manley's criminal case pending in Collier County Circuit Court involves 21 children as referenced in the lawsuits.
Those children told investigators Manley touched them inappropriately during school hours, according to his arrest report
Some students stated Manley would touch them after school at soccer practice, according to his arrest reports.
A then-fourth grade student said "she was victimized every day while she was practicing," according to her interview in the arrest report.
Manley was fired following his arrest on March 1, 2019. He is being held in the Naples Jail Center.
A case management hearing in his criminal case is slated for Jan. 29. Manley is ordered to appear.
More coverage:Collier school officials defend district's handling of Hector Manley child molestation case
More coverage:Parkside Elementary elects school advisory council; sex abuse case not discussed
Rachel Fradette is an education reporter for the Naples Daily News. Follow her on Twitter: @Rachel_Fradette, email her at rfradette@gannett.com.
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