Schools and Education Gagnon Sues for Defamation

BRADENTON — Former Manatee High Principal and MCSD Assistant Superintendent Bob Gagnon has filed a lawsuit against the district, the school board and one board member for claims that they knowingly made false statements that have caused him to suffer severe emotional and physical distress, while preventing him from finding employment in his field.

Gagnon was arrested in 2013, following a lengthy Bradenton Police Department investigation that was then turned over to the State Attorney's office, who continued to investigate before bringing charges of failure to report child abuse and deliberately misleading police officers during the investigation. The case centered around a Manatee High employee who later pleaded no contest to three battery charges after touching a female student on her upper thighs and buttocks. 

The BPD launched an investigation in response to a media story, in which the Herald Tribune released a letter from a female student detailing the allegations, which had been turned in to district officials who then failed to notify the authorities. 

In the suit, Gagnon claims the defendants "have communicated knowingly false, and defamatory information, about or concerning (Gagnon)."

He claims that Aranibar, who was school board chair at the time (though has since lost a bid for re-election), defamed him personally when she told a newspaper, "I have had calls from people telling me that this coach has acted unprofessionally for years and it is well known."

Despite the fact that the statement does not refer to Gagnon or any specific person and only describes general information represented by others, Gagnon claims in the suit that the statement "accuses him of knowing of the allegations of the Manatee High coach and doing nothing about it." 

Gagnon asks for a trial by jury and is seeking unspecified damages "including but not limited to back pay, past and future pecuniary losses, missed employment opportunities and damage to reputation ..."

When reached, Manatee School District staff attorney Mitchell Teitelbaum said he could not comment, as the district has not yet been served with the suit. Teitelbaum did, however, confirm that the district was properly served this week with an amended lawsuit filed by suspended OPS investigator Troy Pumphrey. Teitelbaum said the case was being referred to outside counsel. 

Pumphrey's six-figure suit against the district, the board and individual board member Dave Miner claims that he was harassed, discriminated against, defamed and turned down for a position he was qualified for as a result of Miner's public campaign to have him fired.